Seventh Sky
by tayaMH
Summary: The world's in ruin after a robotic Armageddon, five sectors protect what little remains. But when the threat of another Armageddon appears will one hedgehog be able to bring the other sectors together to save the world before it's to late?
1. Sector List

_*****__**NOTE:**_ Every sector member listed is a certified sonic character, I didn't make any of them up.

**Sector List****:**

_**Central Sector:**_

**Sonic** _the hedgehog _- leader

**Amy** _the hedgehog_ - Second in command

**Knuckles** _the echidna_ - muscle

**Tails** _the fox_ - Tech support/medic

**Rouge** _the bat_ - Intel

_**West Sector:**_

**Espio** _the chameleon_ - Leader

**Mina** _the mongoose_ - Second in command

**Vector** _the crocodile_ - muscle

**Charmy** _the Bee_ - Intel

**Honey**_the cat_- tech support

**Tikal** _the echidna_- medic

_**North Sector:**_

**Silver** _the hedgehog_ - Leader

**Nack** _the weasel_ - second in command/Intel

**Julie sue** _the echidna_ - Muscle

**Marine** _the raccoon_ - Tech support

**Blaze** _the cat_ - Medic

_**South Sector**_

**Jet**_the hawk_ - Leader

**Wave** _the swallow_ - second in command

**Storm** _the albatross _- muscle

**Fiona** _the fox_ - Intel

**Ray**_the flying squirrel_ - tech support

**Cosmic** _the hedgehog_ - Medic

_**East Sector:**_

**Shadow** _the hedgehog_ - Leader

**Scourge** _the hedgehog_ - Second in command

**Void** _the Imp_ - muscle

**Ash** _the Mongoose_ - tech support

**Ebony** _the cat_ - medic/Intel


	2. Chapter 1

Well everyone I'm at it again. I know haven't posted in a while, but here's a little something new. I really hope you like it! I'll update just as fast as I can. Please enjoy and please please please please give me a review!

**Chapter 1**

There was old music playing. It was crackly with age and the decay of the disc. What was called a bar, but really was a hole in the wall shack if anything, was filled with a few stragglers looking to wet their tongues. All dirty and scrubby looking. They squinted their eyes as dim light from outside shot in from the cracks between the wooden planked walls. There was no morale in anyone. They were all beat and run down like the so called bar.

"You can't be serious." Rouge was leaning back against the rickety bar as she looked at the pink hedgehog sitting on a worn out stool to her left.

"I can't help it Rouge." Amy said as the bar tended pushed a drink up to her. "I've been with him for three years now and I don't...I don't feel anything." She said looking down into the cracked mug.

"You know," Rouge turned with a somewhat confused yet still understanding expression. "You're the one that wanted to be with him so badly."

"I know that." Amy was still very quite. "But things have changed since then." She folded her arms and rested them against the edge of the bar. "Since...Armageddon." She looked as if years of hard times, pain, and suffering was washing across her face all at once.

"Yeah, I'll never forget that day either." Rouge's hand ran over a scar on her neck.

The two had become quite different. Rouge's outfit was no longer hearts. She now dawned black and brown leather with small plates of light armor on her chest and knees and one shoulder. Although she looked tougher she still had a beautiful face. Amy no longer wore a dress. She wore black leggings with ripped blue jeans. On her torso, she wore brown tattered mini vest over a black tube top and chest plate similar to Rouge's but it was smaller and made of faded silver.

"We all thought he was just a fool. Right up to the end." Amy's eyes were half closed with sad memories.

"That Eggman." Rouge shook her head. "Who would of thought that all those loser robots he had us fighting all the time were just a ploy. All those years he had really been perfecting his real weapons."

"It happened so fast." Amy closed her eyes. "No warning only...death and destruction...Armageddon." Seven years had passed since the day they called Armageddon. "I'll never forget it...August 9th...Tuesday 11:10."

"None of us will." Rouge rested her hand on her shoulder. "We'll always have that day to remind us of why we still fight." She sat on a stool beside her. "So how'd he take it?"

"He didn't want me to leave him, but he accepted it just the same."

"That's Sonic for ya." Rouge shook her head with a smile. "Back then he was different too. He couldn't ever settle and he didn't seem to ever want too, but now...now he knows how short life can be. He's ready to admit how he feels for you."

"It took Armageddon and our pitiful existence afterwards to make him realize he loved me...and to make me realize that I don't love him." She sighed.

"Irony's a bitch." Rouge raised her hand to signal for another round of drinks.

"Have you heard anything from Knuckles?" Amy asked as she pushed the empty mug away.

"Once in a while." Rouge's own morale seem to drop at the mention of the echidna. "Ever since he got transferred to South Sector it's been hard to communicate."

"I know." Amy felt sorry for bringing it up now. "It's nearly impossible to communicate across Sectors for personal reasons. At least he'll be back soon." She tried to cheer Rouge up. "His posting there is almost up."

"Yeah." Rouge agreed half heartedly. "You think things are ever really gonna change Amy..." Rouge said finally beginning to stand up.

"They have too." Amy turned to join her. "They can't stay like this forever." She had a serious expression. "One way or another things will change."

"Sonic." Tails repeated the blue hedgehogs name.

"Huh?" He looked up. "Sorry Tails. I'm a little out of it." He handed Tails the tool he had previously been asking for.

"It's okay." Tails was tightening a bolt on the tornado. "You gonna be okay about all this?"

Sonic shrugged. "I'm not sure." He said honestly. "Before Armageddon I never really thought about anything...but when reality hits you like a brick wall it changes you...I realized how much I missed out on back then...and now I'm asking for time that I can't get back. We've both changed...she and I...we aren't who we use to be."

"No one is Sonic." Tails offered. "We've all changed. No one could stay the same after that."

"Do you know when the two of them will be back?" He asked as he stood up. Sonic now wore a pair of scrappy blue jeans with half a breast plate and small goggles that he only pulled down over his eyes when there was a battle.

Tails looked at the clock. "They should be here soon. I told them if they weren't back by three then we'd have to assume they were attacked by the bots." He was dress similar to Sonic, with bigger goggles and he wore arm and leg armor but no chest plate. He also had to silver and gold clasps around his twin tails.

The two were located inside what was like an underground base. It had been construct like the inside of a crude building. Much of the technology was old and the materials used to make the place weren't all perfect. Once inside, it was easily identified as a makeshift rebel base in a conquered world.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I know this story is probably going to be a little hard to flow at first, because it jumps from present to past, but bare with me. I'm trying to make it as easy as possible. Leave me a review and enjoy the story!

**Chapter 2**

_**Seven Years ago**_

_**August 9th**_

_**Tuesday**_

_**11:10 PM**_

"Amy don't worry." Cream put her hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You know how Sonic is. Here one minute and gone the next."

"But we had a date today." Amy announced in a disgruntled tone.

"Amy don't you always say that?" Tails chimed in from behind. "Whenever Sonic runs off?"

"No!" Amy said tossing her hammer at Tails.

"Ah sorry sorry!" Tails said dodging the hammer just in time. "Shesh."

Amy was about to toss another Hammer when suddenly a loud sound shook through the air and the ground. "W-What is that?" Cream whimpered.

"It feels like an earthquake." Amy put a hand against the wall to stable herself.

Tails shook his head. "No way this is just some random quake." He was wobbling as he tried to keep still.

"A-Amy." Cream's eyes were filled with tears.

"What is it Cream?" Amy moved to put a hand around her shoulders. She saw the little rabbit was looking out the window. When she looked she felt fear take over her heart and she too could not stop the tears of fear from welding up in her eyes.

Outside the window and as far as the eye could see was a sea of robots. Everyone of them armed to the teeth with weapons. They traipsed in an unholy precision stomping over the ground like a force from hell. Everything in their wake was crushed. These were unlike any other robots the Sonic team had ever encountered. They were fierce and made of cold steal. Their eyes were a bright deathly amber glow that chilled one to the bone.

"Amy we gotta get out of here!" Tails was pulling them toward the door that lead to the hanger. "There's too many of them to fight off! Come this way!" Tails lead them in the hanger. "Faster you guys!" They were about to reach the bottom of the stairwell when suddenly the walls shook more vigorously than before and then crumbled. The robots were inside. They attacked anything in their path. Two of them zeroed in on the three frightened victims. They charged blindly forward. "Hold on you guys!" Tails grabbed each of them by the hand flew upward his two tails spinning faster than they ever had. Tails dropped them both in the seats of the X tornado. He landed in the cockpit. He began preparing for takeoff, while the merciless machines below banged on the plane. For every moment they weren't in the air it was a moment that might prevent them from ever reaching it. The engines fired on. "Oh no!" Tails looked up and realized that he had not hit the switch that would open up the ceiling to allow for them to escape. "The shaft isn't open!"

"Don't worry Tails I'm on it!" Amy had finally found herself after coming to terms with reality at last.

"Amy no!" Tails turned and yelled her name, but it was no good.

Amy had already jumped out of her seat ran down the tail end of the plane. She pulled out her hammer and in one mighty swing threw it at the switch that was on the other side of the hanger. The ceiling began to open. "Now Tails!" Amy yelled as she turned to run back to the second cockpit.

Tails pushed the engine into full throttle and the X tornado shot upward in a jarring motion. Amy lost her balance as she was only a step away from the cockpit. "AHHH!" She screamed. She thought she had fallen off the plane, but Amy looked up and realized that she was dangling from it. Holding on to Amy's arm with both her hands was Cream.

"I gotcha Amy!" Cream said as she heaved her friend upward.

"Thanks Cream." Amy began pulling herself over the edge and back into the rear cockpit. Unbeknownst to them, one of the robots had latched onto the bottom of the plane and was slowly making its way up toward the second cockpit. Amy was almost back inside when suddenly she felt a grip on her ankle. "Ah!" She turned to see the robot clamping a cold iron claw around her leg. "Let go you creep!" Amy stomped on its face with her free foot. "Let go, let go, let go!" She yelled trying to get away.

On the fifth kick it loosened its grip enough for Amy to slip away. She jumped onto the back of the plane as the robot did the same. "Get off this plane!" Amy pulled out her hammer. She ran at it, but it dodged her swing. "UH!" She swung in frustration. "Stand still!" Her face changed to that of fear, when she realized the robot was headed toward the cockpit again. "No!" She tried to move as quickly as she could back toward the robot, but her hammer was throwing her slightly off balance.

"AHHH!" Amy heard the scream as she looked forward and saw the robot holding Cream out over the edge of the plane. "Help!"

"Cream!" Amy moved as fast as she could. "Cream!" She saw the robots cold grip begin to loosen and as Amy made the last few steps toward it, the robot let Cream go, but the rabbit wrapped her ears around it's arm and swung upward kicking it in face. The kick caused the robot to lose its balance and it fell overboard. Cream grabbed the edge of the ship, but the robot grasped her other arm.

"Cream!" Amy jumped into the cockpit just as Cream lost her grip. She leaned over grasping her hand tightly. "Hold on Cream!" She could feel her grip slipping. "Don't let go!" Amy urged as she began to slip over the edge herself.

Cream's eyes were streaming with tears, but she was smiling up at Amy. "It's okay Amy." She began loosening her grip.

"No Cream!" Amy held on as tightly as she could with both hands, but they were slippery with sweat and her eyes were wet with tears making it harder to see.

"You did your best and that's all that matters." She closed her eyes as she released her grip entirely.

"Cream don't do this!" Amy could feel Creams hand slowly slipping out of her grip until she was only holding her fingers...and then nothing. "Cream!" Amy cried as she saw her friend plummeting through the sky until she passed through the clouds and was gone. "Cream!" Amy climbed up on the edge of the cockpit about to jump.

"Amy!" Tails was looking over his shoulder at her. He was crying, but he sounded as if he hadn't shed tears at all. "Cream wouldn't want you too!" He yelled as Amy looked down. "She let go to save you! Don't waste her sacrifice!" A few moments passed and suddenly a huge explosion was heard. Amy knew it came from the robots impact to the ground. She whipped her tear stained face. She jumped back into the cockpit knowing there was nothing she could do now.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Well here's another chapter. I hope you guys really like this story. I know I've got one or two fans out there that have asked me why I always use the same four basic characters: Amy, Shadow, Knuckles, Rouge. Well it's because they are the easiest to work with and my ultimate favs, but I get where my fans are coming from. So this particular story, as it progress, will employ over twenty different Sonic characters so please enjoy the diversity, and leave me a review.

**Chapter 3**

"It's about time you got back." Sonic had his hands on his hips as Rouge and Amy entered the base.

"We're here aren't we." Amy sighed as she passed him and walked toward the big transmissions screen. Rouge followed her, both of them seem to ignore Sonic's concern. "Hey Tails have we received any transmissions yet?"

"No, not yet." He said as he whipped grease off his forehead. "But they should be coming in any time now."

"Speak of the devil," Sonic looked up at the screen as it flickered on. The transmission was poor, but still auditable and visible.

A green hawk appeared on the screen. He pulled his goggles up. "Jet of South Sector checking in." He sighed as if he were exhausted.

Tails stood in front of the screen. "You look like you've been in a pretty rough battle Jet."

"We found the nest of robots, we'd been looking for, in the outer boundaries of the city." He rubbed the back of his head. "It was tough but we managed to destroy them all." He looked to the side. "Our Intel suspects there may be even more nests due to the easy habitation." The robots that plagued the south were many in number, the South offered easy lodgings and thus many nests were constantly forming.

Rouge stepped a little closer. "Any causalities?"

"Your little echidna is fine Rouge." Jet said with a hand on his hip and a grin. He knew she was really worried about him, but would never ask about him directly.

"I-I didn't ask about that!" She said with a pulsing vain on her head.

"How is knucklehead?" Sonic asked folding his arms. "Now that you found the nest, will you be sending him back?" He asked.

"Course," Jet said nodding. "I imagine you're shorthanded there without him. " He sighed folding his arms. "However, the battle did some pretty good damage to everyone. We'll need some time to recover before we can spare the fighters to make the trip out there."

"Not a problem." Tails said as he adjusted the screen. "Since we took care of most of the nests around here before Knuckles left we are doing fine. Just send him on when you get the power."

"Well I've got to go help Wave with the others, Jet out." The transmission blipped off the screen.

Amy and Rouge walked off to some stairs and walked down to find something to eat in the kitchen. Sonic stood over Tails. "Think we'll get any other transmissions Tails?"

"I doubt it." He said as he looked over his shoulder. "We got the transmission from the North and West Sector yesterday."

"Oh yeah you told me Silver's North Sector had some trouble with some turbo bots." Sonic looked up in thought.

"Yeah, but Espio's West Sector sent some reinforcements to help them out." Tails said as he turned back to some wiring he was working on.

"We never hear from East Sector." Sonic leaned against the edge of the transmission board. "But what can we expect with _him_ in charge."

Tails just sighed. "You know how he is. He's not one to ask for help and he's definitely not one to let anyone know he needs it."

"Yeah, Shadow will always be Shadow." He stood up again. "Hey, Amy had a cut on her forearm can you check it out."

Tails just smiled. "Yeah, sure Sonic." He knew that Sonic would of said something himself if he thought that Amy would of admitted to actually being hurt.

**North Sector**

"We're lucky they got here when they did." A purple weasel with a brown fedora on his head and tore up jeans and two black pistols holstered by a dark leather belt around his waist, was walking next to Silver. "That was one nasty turbo bot."

"Are you saying you couldn't handle it Nack?" Silver was wearing dark denims and had arm plates going up his forearms. He also wore one black strap over his chest that held a large automatic rifle to his back.

"I'm not saying I couldn't handle um." Nack tilted his hat back as they headed for the sick bay. "I'm just saying it would of taken longer if Espio and Vector hadn't shown up." He crossed his arms.

"Is that so." Silver opened the door. "That's good. We sustained much less damage this time." Silver noticed Nack limping a bit. "Make sure you let Blaze take a look at that."

"A little bum leg is the least of the injuries around here." Knack said as he followed Silver.

He sighed. "At least the turbo bot is gone for good now."

A turbo bot was one of the worst robots to deal with. It was a robot that was ten times bigger than the usual attack bots and ten times the trouble. They came in many different and dangerous forms. The most common one was the blitz bot. It had to giant metal spinners it used to claw into the ground and make nests for the smaller bots. A blitz bot was what had taken the entire North Sector and help from the West Sector to be defeated.

"Hey Blaze," Silver greeted. "How is everyone?" He surveyed the room. From his Sector, Marine and Julie sue were laying in beds with bandages covering their wounds. From the West Sector, Espio and Vector were sitting in chairs as Blaze wrapped some of their more sever wounds, though they were less affected than the others.

"They're doing better." Blaze answered as she cut the end of a white bandage wrap. "They will all make a full recovery."

Silver approached his members first. "Julie, Marine." He looked at each of them. "How are you two feeling?"

Julie just laid there not really answering. She was rather quite. She didn't speak much. She had been a straggler after Armageddon and Silver and Mina, the first two members of North Sector, had found her. It wasn't long after she joined that she began to fight with them and then the other members that joined the cause. However, she gave up much in this fight. She had been out on a mission to destroy a nest and the plan went bad. In an attempt to save one of their old comrades, Mighty, she was badly mutilated and as a result she was no longer simply flesh and blood, but part machine as well. She lost much of her body and worst of all, Mighty didn't make it. He died in the field. Julie never stopped blaming herself for Mighty's death.

"We're okay." Marine spoke up. She was smiling despite her injuries. "Julie and me did great out there."

"Well I'm glad to hear that." He put a hand on her head. Marine was like a little sister to most everyone in North Sector.

He stepped to the side and spoke with Blaze. "How are their injuries?"

"Julie damaged some of her mechanical parts pretty bad, but I should be able to fix her, and Marine, well you know her. I'll be lucky if I can keep her in bed the rest of today." She smiled.

Silver smiled approvingly before he turned and approached the two West Sector members. "Thanks for coming Espio." He bowed his head bit in gratitude. "I know it couldn't have been easy to leave West Sector, especially as leader."

"I'm not worried." He smiled. "I have a great second." He was of course referring to Mina, his second in command.

"How's your muscle doing?" He asked as he looked over at a green crocodile as Blaze took a look at a burn on his arm.

"Vectors fine." Espio said as he stood up and began putting his garments back on. He placed some light iron knee pads over his gray jeans, pulled on a chest plate and a single shoulder guard. Finally he placed the spiked wrist bands back on. "He's the strongest fighter we have after all." Espio looked at his companion as Vector winced and growled as he felt a stinging from Blazes antiseptic. Espio smiled and crossed his arms. "You don't wince a bit when you get punched by a turbo bot, but a little disinfectant and you start growling. What are we gonna do with you Vector?"

"Shut up Espio." He huffed. "Fighting is one thing, that's a pain that sends me some adrenalin. This is just plain stinging pain!" He said as he pulled his headphones up on his head turned them on. Vector's personality had become a bit more sobered to reality. He was tougher than he use to be and a bit grouchier too, but his friends loved him just the same.

"We'll be leaving in the morning." Espio announced as he turned from the muscle member of his Sector. He was looking at Silver. "I hope you don't have more turbo bot problems any time soon. In the last transmission Mina told me we have a heck of a problem back in West Sector, seems they found a nest."

"Espio, before you go I'd like you to come with me. I have something that might really help your Sector." Espio followed Silver back to the main transmission unit. "Right through here." Silver opened up a door that was hidden in the wall by camouflaging within the metal-works.

"Nice hiding spot." Espio realized that this hidden place was North Sector's tech support lab. This was the room where Marine created weapons and gear for all the other members of North Sector.

Silver walked over to an iron vault. He spun the code in and opened it. Inside were what looked to be different forms of tech gear. Silver reached in pulling out one of the pieces of tech. "Here, you'll make good use of it in West Sector I'm sure." Silver offered it to Espio.

"What is it?" Espio took it. It was a piece of head gear. It was meant to fit on the ear, and what looked to be a small piece of pink glass would overlapped one eye. Espio put it on. He realized the glass over his eye didn't impair his vision at all.

"That right there is the newest piece of technology." He leaned against a desk. "With that little beauty you can track or spot any bot for up to seventy miles, and if you get within ten meters it can scan the bot and copy all its blueprints and schematics."

"Impressive." Espio took it off, still admiring it in his hands. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but why give it to West Sector?"

"Truthfully I'd consider it more of a favor." He stood up. "I know you have an amazing tech on your team as well. Honey will be able to replicate this in a matter of months, maybe even weeks if she gets enough materials from that nest that your sector is about to take out."

Espio looked up from the gear. "And where in lies the favor?"

"After Honey has made a successful replication, I'd like you to pass the original on to Central Sector." He made his way out of the lab with Espio in tow. "As you've seen, my team needs time to recover. Only Blaze and I remain uninjured and thus I cannot spare either one of us." He looked toward the sick bay. "I know any of the others would be willing, but in their current condition, none of them would survive the trip."

Espio nodded. "No worries Silver. I'll make sure it gets to Central in one piece." He placed the gear on once again. "By the way, why do you want to get it to Central Sector so quickly?"

"Honestly it's half theirs." He said with his hands behind his back.

"What?" Espio blinked.

"Yes Marine and Tails have little tech chats all the time. They came up with the design together. However, here in North Sector we deal with many more turbo bots than Central and Marine was able to get the materials faster. The measuring capabilities and power source for the gear can only be made from parts of a turbo bot. Marine can easily build another one. I want Sonic's team to reap the benefits from this joint effort."

"Not a bad idea." Espio agreed. "Thanks for letting West Sector in on the action as well. I know you didn't have to do this."

"We are all in this together. We serve a common purpose and we share a common goal." He smiled.

Espio nodded. "As soon as I get the chance I'll make sure Honey cooks up another replication and we'll have it sent off to South Sector as well."

Silver's eyes shifted a bit. "Do you ever here from East Sector?" He asked seeming in thought.

"No." Espio admitted dryly. "What do you expect with that damned Shadow in charge. Even if one of the other sectors was to ask East for help I doubt any would come. I feel like that team protects the East quadrant and that's it. They simply protect it as their own piece of ground. They could care less if the world was going to hell around them as long as they still had their piece of the world to stand on."

"Well at least it means that it's one less Sector for us to have protect. North, South, West, and Central have more than enough to keep us occupied."


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Well here's another chapter, sorry, I know it's short but there is more to come. I mentioned in the last chapter that there are a lot of characters in this story, so for the benefit of my readers I created a sector list that divides each of the five sectors and tells who is in each one, it is also a great reference if you don't know what kind of animal a certain character is. Hope this helps, please review!

**Chapter 4**

_**Seven Years ago**_

_**August 9th**_

_**Tuesday**_

_**12:09 PM**_

"AH!" Rouge landed a screw kick to a rather large robot. "Where the hell did all these robots come from!" She snarled angrily. The robots forced her back. She was near the edge of the roof, when she looked over her shoulder what she saw left her speechless. The streets of Station Square were crawling with robots. There must of been millions of them. Rouge's eyes seem to go blank, it was as if the image was too much for her to take. The strain of the end of the world was more than she could handle on her own. The robots attacked her once more, but this time Rouge didn't seem to fight back. They beat her and smacked her to the ground. The cold machines showed her no mercy. She was hanging over the edge of the roof with blood oozing from her wounds. The worst wound was on her neck. She was gasping for breath her eyes still hollow with the insanity of disbelief. Her body finally slipped over the edge.

"No!" Suddenly a hand grabbed Rouge's wrist. "Rouge!" She heard her name called and she looked up wearily with her empty eyes. She was out of her senses and the sun was in her eyes. She couldn't see their face and couldn't recognize the voice either. "Rouge!" The voice called again before pulling her up and back on to the roofs edge. She could hear the anger in the voice of her savior as they fought off the robots on the rooftop. When it was quite and the sound of robots faded to the streets she realized that the person who had come to her aid was standing over her again calling her name. "Rouge, get up."

"Why should I..." Her mouth barely moved. "The world is ending..." She felt like her mind was slipping away to full insanity.

"Rouge!"

"Just go...leave me here..." She closed her eyes.

"Rouge I will never leave you anywhere!" Suddenly a hand smacked her across her cheek. "Snap out of it!"

Her eyes snapped opened wide with reality as her senses flew back to her. She stared up. "Knuckles..." She felt tears building in her eyes.

"It's okay." He ran his hand very softly across the cheek he had just smacked. "I promise I will never let anything happen to you Rouge, just stay with me." He sat her up pressing his spare hand against the still bleeding wound on her neck. The end of the world had brought the glass wall between the two's feelings crumbling to the ground.

"Knuckles." She nodded her eyes were crying as she pushed into his arms and wept in his shoulder.

"Shhh." He comforted her and stroked the back of her head. "It's okay. Just come with me. Promise you won't ever say those things again. Promise me you'll never stop being a fighter."

She looked up at him with grateful eyes. "I promise Knuckles." She was blushing a bit as she hugged him once more.

_~~~The Present~~~_

Central Sector

Rouge ran her hand across the scar on her neck as she looked up at the sky. It was dark and the stars were out. She watched the wind blow the dust around on the barren landscape. "Come back to me..." She said as she wished on a star.

"Any sign Rouge?" Amy asked as she and Tails came up from the base.

Rouge folded her arms. "I'm on guard." She huffed. "I'm not waiting for anything."

"We didn't say you were." Tails smiled.

Suddenly all three of them looked up at the sound of jet thrusters. The tornado was overhead preparing to touch down. They all put an arm up as dust flew and the tornado landed. Amy and Tails ran to the plane as it powered down. Rouge stayed where she was leaning against a dead tree. The cockpit opened and Sonic jumped out. Then a red echidna stood up from the rear seat. "Knuckles!" Amy and Tails welcomed him back.

"Hey guys." He said as he jumped down and greeted them with a nod.

"How was South Sector?" Tails asked.

"They are great now that I demolished those level 4 bots that were giving them so much trouble." He seem a little boastful. He was covered in dust, but one could see he wore black jeans and heavy metal chest plate. He had a single metal clasp on one of his dreads and the middle of his gloves all the way around were steal.

"If it was so easy, then what took you so long?" Rouge's words were smooth and sleek. "Why didn't you just move in with South Sector. Might have taken you less time that way." She said with her arms still folded and eyes not meeting his.

"Hey I did the job didn't I." Knuckles pushed past the others walking up to her. "I doubt you could of done any better."

"Definitely could of done it faster." She said looked straight at him and smiling.

"You are so arrogant." He growled.

The others only sighed with half smiles and walked back inside. Rouge watched them leave before looking back up at Knuckles. "I'm giving you a hard time, because next time I want you to come back even sooner."

Knuckles blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "So you're challenging me."

She leaned a little closer and kissed his cheek. "Yeah I am."

He turned stark red. "Rouge!"


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Well here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. Please review!

**Chapter 5**

Amy stretched as she entered the middle of the base. She saw Tails sitting at the large monitor. Amy all to easily recognized the small beeping sound coming from the computer. "Where?" Amy said approaching from behind.

The sound meant there was an a trespasser coming to close to the immediate area of the base. "It's coming from the north headed right for us." He said as he intently watch the screen. "I was hoping it would change course, but they're getting to close."

Amy ran towards the door that would lead up to the surface. "Get the others and hurry!"

"Amy!" Tails took her wrist. "Are you crazy, you can't go out there alone!"

"Tails! It's headed this way and it's only increasing in speed, I can distract it long enough to keep it from finding the base until the rest of you get there, but I have to go now!"

"Sonic will-"

"Sonic's not my keeper!" She pulled her arm from him. "I'm going!"

"Sonic!" Tails opened the door to Sonic's room. "Hurry up we have two intruders headed right for the base!"

"Okay," Sonic sat up rubbing the back of his head. "Calm down, we've dealt with them before."

"Amy's headed for them right now!"

Sonic stood up. "What! Why didn't you stop her?" He pushed past Tails.

"I tried, but you know she doesn't listen if it doesn't suit her!" Tails followed him quickly.

"Damnit! She's gonna get herself killed!"

Amy was running straight towards the last coordinates she'd gotten for the intruders. "I can do this." She pulled out her hammer. She took a deep breath as she began to realize that after she jumped the next mound her targets would be in sight. "AH!" She leapt into the air and held her hammer back ready to go full swing. She looked down to see her prey, and her eyes grew a bit wide. "UH!" She curled up doing a summersault through the air and landing behind them. She turned with her hammer hanging from one hand. "Espio." She smiled at him. "Vector." She looked at the crocodile.

Espio smiled. "That's some welcome from Central, wouldn't you say Vec."

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked as she approached with her hammer hanging over her shoulder.

"Not much, we were just up in North Sector, a few weeks ago, helping them out with a nasty turbo bot that's been giving them some grief."

The three suddenly tensed up as a shadow shot across the ground from above. After the next moment Amy relaxed. "No worries, it's just the rest of my team." She said smiling as Rouge was floating just above.

"It's alright guys!" She yelled back. "They're friendly intruders." She lighted down by Vector. "What are you two doing in Central territory?"

Before Espio could answer the rest of the Central Sector members appeared over the mound. Sonic in the lead of course. He was obviously relieved to see that there was no danger. Knuckles stood by Rouge as Sonic and Tails stood next to Amy to speak with Espio. "So, were guys needing to see Central for something?" Sonic asked, obviously wondering why they had been headed straight for the Central base.

"Actually we're here to see Tails." Espio stepped up to Tails. "This is for you." He held up a piece of headgear.

"T-That's my and Marine's scanner ." His eyes were large.

Espio smiled. "You and Marine did an amazing job on this. It's capabilities are intricate and yet the design is simple, Honey was able to replicate it in a matter of a week and half after she got all the materials she needed." Tails carefully took the headgear. "Don't worry, that's the original. A gift from North Sector."

Tails smiled. "Thanks for coming all this way to bring this here."

"Not a problem, it's the least we could do after West Sector benefited so greatly on your findings."

"You mean you've tested it already?" Tails looked up.

"Yes," He nodded. "I'm sure it was tested even before us, by North Sector. It does all it is intended to and in a flawless process." He nodded his compliments. "I'm amazed at how you were able to design it so that the glass used for the read out, doesn't interfere with the wears vision."

Tails blushed a bit from all the attention as his fellow team mates congratulated him as well. Rouge grinned. "Looks like you and Marine make a pretty good team."

Tails blush intensified. "S-She is my valued college, and that's all." Amy put her hand on his shoulder smiling a little painfully, but not enough to let it show through. She knew that he was still a little touchy on subject of love. He had loved Cream very much and her death had hit him harder than anyone else, though he showed his grief the least. Amy understood how touchy he was when it came to the idea of a replacement to his lost love.

A few weeks had passed and Tails had already prepared a scanner several scanners. Everyone was very pleased with the new gadget. "Tails, the new scanners are amazing, we were able hunt down that pack of sledge-bots in a matter of hours." Rouge smiled as she and Amy entered the room first. Knuckles and Sonic followed after shortly.

"Glad you guys like them, I couldn't have done it alone though." He may not have admitted to Marine being a love interest, but he certainly gave her, her credit where credit was due.

"Have we heard anything from South Sector yet?" Sonic asked as he leaned against the wall and drank some well deserved water.

Tails happy mood dissipated with a sigh. "No, not a word from them." He looked up at his leader. "Sonic, something is wrong. Jet has always checked in at least once a week, but we haven't heard a word from them in three, something must have happened."

Sonic nodded running his hand through his quills. "I agree." He said looking up at Tails, knowing what he wanted. "We will have to look into this."

"I will go." Amy stepped forward without any hesitation.

"No." Sonic said immediately, not turning to face her.

"What," She approached him and was standing directly behind him, her eyes boring into the back of his head.

"I said no." He was still facing Tails, his expression a bit heavy with command.

"Someone has to go," Amy protest as she pointed to the blank monitor.

"And someone will." Sonic said standing to his full height.

"And why can't it be me?" She demanded clenching he fists. "Who better to go than me?" She demanded. "Knuckles only just returned from assignment, he's barely had time to recuperate, surely you can't send Tails, he is our tech and our medic, without Rouge you'll never be able to track down the bots here." She took a step forward. "And they would all slack off and this sector would fall apart in less than a day if you left." She still had her determined expression. "Therefore I am the only suitable option for this assignment." Sonic sighed shaking his head. He walked away toward his room. "Sonic! You can't keep me locked up here forever!" She yelled.

A few hours past and Knuckles was sitting alone in what they called a kitchen. It was more like an extra hole in the wall with prime evil water dispenser and some creaking cabinets that held some food rations. He was sitting at an old wooden table drinking some water and eating a stale biscuit. He tilted his head a bit as he heard someone enter, in a moment he knew who it was. Knuckles approached the blue hedgehog. "You know she's right." Sonic took a bite out the biscuit. "You should let her go."

Sonic sat down across from him. "Could you let Rouge go?"

"In a heartbeat." He said without hesitation. He looked at Sonic seriously. "Don't presume to think that all relationships are like yours. You don't trust Amy worth a damn, even I can see that. You treat her like a porcelain doll, and that's not her, not anymore." He leaned back in his chair. "She's not the girl you keep remembering from the past, she's got a fire burning inside of her and you're trying to put it out."

"Can you blame me?" Sonic asked almost in despair. "Knuckles, I can't lose her...I love her."

"You're already losing her. The tighter you hold onto her the further away she'll want to run, and besides that, you're letting your personal agenda get in the way of your judgment as a leader. If you had no emotional attachment to Amy, you would have chosen her first for this job and you know it." Sonic sighed, he was at a loss. Knuckles smiled and punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Come on, we put you in charge for a reason."

"Yeah I forget why sometimes."

"Oh, just so we don't have to make all the hard decisions, and we can blame you when things go wrong." He smirked.

"Thanks for the pep talk." He smiled sarcastically.

Amy sat against a large bolder that was positioned just outside the entrance to the base. She was obviously sulking. "I thought I'd find you here."

She sighed as she heard the blue hedgehog's voice. "Let me guess, I've to gone far away from the base? Or are you just here to tell me why I can't handle this mission?"

He sat down beside her. "Actually, I was coming to tell you to pack light." He said not looking at her.

She turned quickly looking directly at him. "What?"

"If you are going to make the journey to South Sector, you'll have to pack very light, if you don't you'll lose speed, and that's what really counts in these big journeys."

"You really mean this," She said on her knees beside him as she looked at him excitedly.

"Yes," he finally looked at her. "There's only one thing."

"What is it?" She said in the same tone, she was too excited to be going to really care what the condition was.

"Rouge is going to go with you." He looked at her at last. "Since Tails made a few of those scanners, the three of us should be able to manage the Intel, while she's with you."

"Thank you." Amy smiled at last. "I promise, you'll be glad you sent me to do this." She promised.

He nodded and resisted his urge to tell her what he really wished to say, instead he simply said. "Complete this assignment, and then report back, I'm counting on you Rose."


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Well here's another chapter. Hope I'm keeping things clear. With so much going on all over the five sectors sometimes things get fuzzy! But so far no big mistakes. Thanks for reading, please review!

**Chapter 6**

Several days had passed since Rouge and Amy had begun their journey to the South to uncover what had happened to its protectors. It was the fifth night and they were a little less than forty miles out from what were known as the coordinates of the South Sectors base.

"Amy I think we can stop for the night." Rouge landed in a grassy area with a few pathetic scraggly trees and shrubs. It was well known that many places had little to no trees or foliage of any kind, while others mostly in and around the South and East, were full of it.

"Already?" She sighed turning to look back at her companion. "But we are so close."

"Amy come on, if we keep going we'll be worn-out. Speed is important, but keeping a constant stamina is equally so. We don't know what's happened in South Sector, we will need to be fully prepared for whatever awaits us there, and though I benefit from the night, you do not, so I would like to have daylight on our side."

"Oh alright." She sat down by Rouge. "Sorry I'm just really ahead of myself I guess."

"It's okay." Rouge smiled. "I know how excited you are about your assignment. You've never gone this far out of Central territory or on such an essential mission."

"Yeah," She smiled with confidence. "I will definitely make it a complete success."

"Well if that's what's to be, then you'll need to get some sleep." Rouge took the backpack she was carrying laid it down and placed her head on it. She folded her arms and closed her eyes. Amy followed her example.

It was one PM when a noise registered in Rouge's sensitive ears. She sat up looking around swiveling her ears to pick up where the noise had come from. Her eyes glowed as she used her night vision to pick up any movement that might be close by. "Of course." She realized the sound was coming from the base. She stood up.

Amy felt the movement and sat up rubbing one eye. "Rouge?" She yawned a bit. "What is it?"

"I hear something," She said still looking from the same spot. "It's coming from the base."

"Rouge, we have to go. It could be our only chance to see what's really happening." Amy said pulling her backpack on.

Rouge nodded. "Yes, if we wait it could become too late." The two began to quickly make their way toward the base. At their speed it only took a half hour to arrive on the scene of the base. The two saw a large metal sphere looking structure. Rouge shook her head. "I've only seen this base once before, I didn't like it then either. It's right in the open, it's not hidden at all." She had accompanied Tails there once to assist Ray, the South Sector tech, in a technical issue regarding a complex security system. "A lot of good that security system did them." The base was ransacked and was covered in damage. "On top of all this, I can't hear that noise anymore." Rouge was intently listening for sounds.

"Maybe we scared it off." Amy took a step forward toward the base.

"Amy," Rouge took her wrist. "Stay with me, we have to stick together in this. If we get separated we stand a much smaller chance than we do as a team." She took up a position next to Amy, who nodded in complete agreement.

The two approached carefully. They waited several moments before setting foot directly into the base. Amy looked around, and even though she had never seen the base before, she knew how much damage had been done. even if they were rebels and their recourses were poor, she knew that as the soul base of the South it had been much greater than the sad destroyed ruins that were now before her.

"Look at these marks." Rouge was inspecting the points of impact that still lingered in what was left of the south base wall.

Amy bent down to get a closer look, as the darkness impaired her vision a bit. When she was close enough, Amy pulled a sharp piece of metal from the wall. "These are defiantly the claws of a Shredder." A Shredder was the term used to refer to a bot that possessed large titanium claws, if it attacked it would project the claws at its victim or begin a twisting motion that would become so fast that it would appear like a small tornado, capable of mutilating anything caught in its path. "It looks like there were a lot of them." Amy found several other species of robots around the base as well. "Why are there so many different ones?" Amy thought as she looked a dead metal carcass of a robot.

"Amy, check this out." She was looking at some metal residue on the floor. "You only see this kind of metal on a turbo bot."

"A turbo bot?" Amy knelt down by Rouge. "What would a turbo bot being doing so far South, they make their nest in the North."

Rouge whipped the residue from her fingers. "That' what I'd like to know." The two were so intent on their conversation they did not hear the approach of an enemy. Rouge's instinct spiked. "Get down!" A huge robot slammed against the ground.

The two rolled to their feet. Amy scowled at the attacker. "Sledge bot." She growled. Amy hated these most of all, because attached to their bodies were two huge sledge hammer arms, to Amy these were an insult to her, because her weapon of choice was a large hammer. Amy pulled out her hammer and swung at the bot missing by only a few inches. "I'll crush you!" She attacked again.

Rouge was about to join in when suddenly she heard that noise again. She looked up and her eyes widened. Above was a mass of glowing robotic eyes. They were all robots, and what was worse was that there were several different species amongst them. "Amy, we have to retreat!"

"What?" Amy looked up from the scraps of the Sledge bot she'd just clobbered.

"We can't take all of these on!" She yelled as she twisted to avoid one attack after another as the robots from above began to swarm.

Amy took to Rouge's side and the two began to make their way towards a large hole in the wall. Amy jumped through first. "Come on Rouge!"

Rouge was in mid jump, "AH," Her eyes grew wide with pain. A Shredder's claw sliced across the back of her knee. She hit the ground hard.

"Rouge!" Amy turned quickly to help her.

"No, Amy!" She held up her hand in a stopping motion. "Leave me, run!" She yelled as she twisted under the clawed hand of a Shredder.

Amy hesitated for a moment. There were so many robots. She shook her head violently. "Rouge!" She pulled out a second hammer and dove into the fray. She beat off one robot after another, but for every one she destroyed another took its place. She bent down quickly. "Rouge hurry up, get on my back." Am said as she held a defensive position with her hammers crossed. Rouge struggled, but managed to make her way onto Amy's back. Amy swung with her hammer as best she could beating off one robot after another. It was harder and harder with every swing, Rouge was taller and heavier than Amy and carrying the extra weight, plus that of each hammer, made her very slow. She managed to push her way out of the base, but once outside all she could do was run.

Amy knew that there wasn't much chance, but she began running and ignored the sounds of robots swarming behind her. "Amy, just leave me, I'm too heavy."

Amy shook her head. "No, I won't leave you behind." She was sweating badly as she pushed forward. A small glimmer of hope entered Amy's mind as she saw a blessing in front of her. The South was one of two sectors left with full fledged forests, and right in front Amy was the edge of a what looked like a jungle. "We might just get out of this yet Rouge." She pushed forward as hard as she could, trying to gain as much distance between her and the swarm as possible. The branches and leaves swatted and smacked Amy's face as she shoved way into the dense jungle terrain. The density made even harder for Amy to keep any speed. She huffed as she pulled forward, but to no avail as a large root trip her in the next second. "Uh!" She rolled to the ground as Rouge fell off her back and landed beside her. Amy sat up quickly. She could hear the sound of the swarm closing in. "Rouge come on." She grabbed Rouge by both arms and dragged her towards a huge tree, that was obviously dying. "AH!" She used her hammer and slammed a whole into the hollow trunk. "Come on." She dragged Rouge into the tree. "Shh." She could feel tears of fear in the brims of her eyes as she shut them tightly and held an unconscious Rouge close to her.

The sound of the swarm was right by her face. She could feel a lump in her throat as she struggled to remain absolutely silent. It felt like the sound would never die away, but finally things grew quiet. Amy opened her eyes. She never knew silence could be so wonderful. She carefully looked outside the trunk and listened. She didn't hear anything so she stepped out and looked around cautiously. "Looks like we dodged a bullet." Amy's sigh of relief came a little too soon.

A sound came from above, something was coming towards her from the tree tops. She pulled out her two hammers again. She took a quick breath and buried her fear. "So much for lying low." She took up an offensive position. She looked up into the trees and saw three pairs of eyes. Her green eyes glimmered in the moon light as she held her hammer preparing to swing.

"Hold it," A voice came from above. Amy tensed her stances as a rustling noise sounded and one of the three descended in front of her. It was a pink swallow. She was rather pretty. She had on a pair of white pants with metal knee pads and then a white tube top with a pink stripe across it. On her head was a white bandana with a black skull and cross bones, then on each forearm she had white pointed metal shields, the point allowed it be an offensive weapon as well as defensive. "I know you, you're Central Sector's second in command."

Amy suddenly recognized the one addressing her. "Are you Wave?" She asked slowly lowering her hammers.

"Yes, I am." She also lowered her shields. Wave looked up. "It's okay guys, their allies."

After Wave's conformation two more descended from the trees. One was a huge albatross with an eye patch over his left eye. He had one giant chest plate that covered his entire front chest. His weapons were two large ball and mace, a spiked ball chained to a stick, which he carried on his back. The second was a red fox who wore a black singlet with no sleeves or legs. She had large black steel toe boots and a pair of forearm-length gloves with no fingers or knuckles. Her armor consisted of two shin guards, metal shoulder guards that came down to her elbows, and a metal clamp that was on her bushy tail. Amy noticed that she had her hair up and in it was what looked like four large metal pins. Her weapon of choice was a pair of laser guns that were holstered on her hips. Wave pointed to the fox. "This is Fiona, our Intel," Then she motioned to the large albatross. "And this our muscle, Strom."

Amy nodded to each of them. "I'm Amy, second in command of Central Sector." She turned quickly to the tree. "I'm not alone. My partner is injured and she needs help."

"Strom," Wave motioned for him to move forward. Strom easily lifted Rouge in his arms. "Alright follow us." She began to lead the way.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Well here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it! Please review! :D

**Chapter 7**

"Don't look so blue Sonic." Knuckles smirked as he approached the hedgehog.

"Oh haha," Sonic was sitting with his head resting in his palm. "That one never gets old."

The two of them were outside the base, along with Tails. "Come on Sonic, you did a really great thing." Tails sat down next to him. "Amy's just as much part of this war as anyone else, it wouldn't do her any good to stay cooped up here forever and never learn anything."

Knuckles nodded in agreement. "That path would have only resulted in her becoming dependent on others, you may have extra time to look after her, but the rest of us don't have such a luxury. She needs to get some experience under her belt."

Sonic looked up skeptical. "Easy for you to say, your woman's already trained and quite the accomplished fighter." Knuckles blushed at the term. 'your woman.' "Think about it Knuckles," Sonic said with only one eye open. "If Rouge was as helpless as Amy would you have wanted her to go?"

"No," Knuckles answered easily. "But you are confusing the reasoning between want and need." He crossed his arms. "Of course I wouldn't 'want' her to go because I would worry about her, but I wouldn't allow my personal wants to stand in the way of her needs."

"What?" Sonic blinked.

"If Rouge really were helpless, I would want her to become stronger, as much as I want to be I can't always be there to protect her, like now, and I want to have confidence in her that she can take care of herself." He looked at Sonic. "And even more importantly, Amy isn't a weakling." He pointed out. "Maybe you haven't noticed but she swings two fully sized hammers around like they weight absolutely nothing. She may be inexperienced, but she's not weak."

~~South Sector~~

"So, the swarm over took you." Amy was sitting with Wave. They had made it back to a small makeshift base deep in the jungle. Amy had met the other three South Sector members. One was a dark yellow squirrel named Ray, he was the tech. There was a green hedgehog named Cosmic who was their medic who was taking care of Rouge's injury. Then sitting beside Wave was a green hawk, Amy knew him to be the leader of South Sector, Jet.

Jet folded his arms. "There're more than what chased you down earlier," Amy gasped at this. "But the sheer numbers weren't even the worst part." His expression hardened.

Amy couldn't help asking. "What was the worst part?"

"There were so many species." he looked up. "There were Sledges, Turbos, and Shredders." He said running a hand through his feathers. "The shredders were easy enough, but the Turbo bots, we've never dealt with one of those before." He looked around the small makeshift base area at his team. "We didn't stand a chance."

Amy leaned in now very intent on finding out whatever she could about what was happening. "Rouge and I noticed the same thing when we were checking out your base. We couldn't understand why a turbo bot was so far South."

"Yes," Jet nodded. "We have a theory. Ray was able to find a decently in tacked robot carcass, and he extracted the memory chip from it." Amy could see some worry forming on Jet's face. "He was able to decrypt it."

"What was in the chip?" Amy asked as she hung on his every word.

"The tracking movements of almost every active robot in all five sectors." Amy's eye grew wide as he continued. "They are massing together all the different species." He was looking very intense. "They are going to swarm in groups and these groups will be big enough to take out one sector at time, eventually these masses will meet and become one unstoppable swarm."

Amy's eyes shook. "Just like on Armageddon."

"That's right." Jet nodded, his expression was that of sad memories.

_**Seven Years ago**_

_**August 9th**_

_**Tuesday**_

_**12:55 PM**_

"Ah!" Strom struggled with three robots trying to take him on at once. He was slamming with his heavy fists, but no matter how much he beat on them as soon as one was down another took its place.

"Storm, you okay?" Fiona yelled as she continued to dodge one attack after another from a sledge bot.

"I'm handling it!" He answered in a yell as he crushed two robots at once. He looked up at her and saw a robot coming full force from behind. "Hey look out!" He yelled as he began to run toward her.

"Huh?" She began to turn, but she was too late, she closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, but the claws of the shredder bot never came. She opened her eyes and saw Strom at her feet. "Storm!" 

"I'm fine." He lay there with one hand over his eye. He'd protected Fiona, but lost his eye in the process.

"Jet!" The green hawk could hear his name being called from all around, but one voice stuck out in his head more than any other. "Jet!"

"I'm coming Wave!" He yelled. He was surrounded by robots. He had barely been able comprehend the vastness of the robot army. He saw so many of them, but all he cared about was the pink swallow that was underneath the metal palm of a shredder robot. He landed the strongest kick he could against Wave's attacker and sent it flying to the side. "Wave, are you alright?" He picked her up gently in his arms.

"Thanks to you." She smiled through a grimace of pain. "Now you gotta help the others."

"No, I won't leave you." He said holding her a little tighter.

"Jet look at me." She took his face in her hands. "You have to help the others, you've saved me, now save them." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "You can't let them die."

He closed his eyes. "Right." They snapped open. He took her and placed her in a safe place hidden by some ruble. "I'll come back for you. I swear." He kissed her.

~~The Present~~

Rouge slowly opened her eyes. "Glad to see you're coming around." Her vision began to clear up and she realized there was a green hedgehog looking over her. Strangely enough he looked just like Sonic, only he was light green and he had a yellow C on his chest. He was dressed in a pair of orange wind-pants with a yellow stripe up the side. She also noticed that the only armor like thing he had on were some metal knee and forearm pads.

"Who are you?" She said rubbing her eyes. She was about to sit up, but he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't move too much, your leg isn't quite healed. You wouldn't want to make your friend worry, she's doing just fine by the way." He said gently. "I'm Cosmic, South Sectors Medic." He began to check out the wound on her leg.

"You look a lot like my sector's leader." She said laying back down.

"Yeah well most of us guy hedgehogs all kinda look the same." He chuckled.

"Nice tattoo." She was looking at the yellow C on his chest.

"One of the many stupid mistakes I made in high school." He smiled. "Always won at Truth or Dare though."

"You're not wearing any armor either." She said still perplex at his lack of protection.

"Call me old fashioned." He motioned to a tree nearby, and against it rested a rather large metal shield. It looked like it belonged to a knight.

"Hey, if it works." Rouge shrugged. She sighed and tried to think of something else to say. She didn't like silence when she had to be still. "So, how long have you been a part of South Sector?"

"For a long time now." He answered. His mind wasn't fully on her question. He was paying more attention to her leg. "After Armageddon, I met up with the others. Strom was badly wounded in his eye. I managed to keep him from a pretty nasty infection." He cleaned the wound and prepared to rewrap it. "I always thought I'd be a fighter, but I am the son of two doctors and thus I've forgotten more about medicine than anyone else on my team will ever know." He didn't tell her that he also had been in medical school at the time of Armageddon.

"How's Amy?" She asked looking down at him.

"Oh the pink hedgehog," he snipped the end of her bandage. "She's just fine. She only needed to recuperate her strength. She, Jet, and Wave are discussing the recent events regarding the strange behavior of the robots." Cosmic proceeded to explain all that had happened to Rouge.

Amy was laying on a large tree branch with her hands behind her head as she looked up at the sky. She was suddenly brought out of her deep thought by a voice below. "Hey up there." She looked down to see Rouge waving.

"Rouge," She turned quickly to jump down, but Rouge was motioning for her to stay put.

"Don't worry," Rouge flapped her wings and lighted down beside her. "It's my leg that's hurt not my wings." She said with a reassuring smile.

"Glad to see you up and about." Amy was looking upward again.

"I see you've been thinking." She looked downward. "It's hard to think that Armageddon could happen a second time."

"There has to be a way around this." Amy shook her head. "We can't just wait for it to happen. It'd turn out just like before. Everyone caught off guard and helpless." Cream's face flashed in her mind. "We can't just let it happen again."

"What can we do?" Rouge questioned.

"We'll figure something out." She hit the tree in frustration. "I know we will." She huffed and laid back down on the tree branch looking up.

Rouge sighed a bit and then changed the subject. "So," She noticed Amy was staring up again. "Will this be one of your skies?" She asked.

"Yes, this is my third sky." She said stretching her legs out.

Rouge leaned against the trunk of the tree. "Tell me again about your skies." She asked.

"Well," Amy's eyes closed a bit in thought and in memory. "The first sky is already gone." She closed her eyes fully. "It was the sky that was above us and the world before Armageddon." She could remember how blue it had been, but after the terror of Armageddon it had never looked the same. "The second is the sky that we see over Central Sector. It's always perfectly black and clear." She remembered the sky of her home sector. "And now this is my third sky, the sky over South Sector." She opened her eyes to stare up at it again. Instead of black, this sky looked made of two deep blues. It reminded her of the ocean at night.

"Bet you thought you'd never make it to three skies." Rouge smiled.

"Yeah," She smiled warm heartedly. "I'm really glad I was able to get this far."


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Well here's the next chapter. Things get a little graphic, hope it's good at least. I'm not sure how I'm gonna do with my new graphic approaches, so let me know what you think. Leave me a review, thanks. :)

**Chapter 8**

Several days had past and Rouge was finally fully recovered for the most part. Amy however was still determined as ever to figure out a solution to their newest and deadliest problem. "How long has she been doing that?" Wave asked as she walked up to Jet's side. The two were looking at Amy. She was sitting at the edge of the camp. She had a sharp twig in her hand and was scratching something in the dirt, but every time it looked like she might be done she scribbled it out and started over again.

"For a while now." Jet answered. "She must be racking her brain trying to find an answer."

"You look like you're a little stressed." A yellow squirrel was kneeling down by Amy. He had metal bands linking up his arms and very large leg shields over his tattered green jeans. He also had a small piece of a chest plate just over the left upper section of his chest.

"Stress doesn't even begin to cover it Ray." Ray was the tech of South Sector.

"Any interesting ideas?" He asked looking down at her scribbles in the dirt.

"No matter what I think of there's always the same problem." She huffed.

Being the tech of the group, Ray was able to realize this problem easily. "It's because of all the species jumping in together isn't it."

She nodded. "Yes," She began drawing the different species in the dirt. "Even if my sector was at its full fighting capacity I don't know how we would handle all of these. Sledge bots are our specialty, and we could probably even handle some Shredders. But to take all them on, plus turbo bots and drill bots. We haven't had enough experience with those to even know where to begin attacking such a large number of them." She had finished drawing each type of bot.

"Yes, that is the biggest problem." Ray nodded. "We were doing just fine against the Shredder bots and even the Sledge bots, but those turbo bots...we could barely take down one let alone all ten of the ones that attacked our base." He looked at her as she stared hard at the dirt pictures. "Honestly it makes me feel a little weak."

"Weak?" She questioned looking up at him.

"Well yeah," He sat down. "If it had been North Sector fighting, they could of taken down those turbo bots without a second thought." He leaned back a bit.

"But Turbo bots are mainly in the North, so of course they would be better at it." She looked back down. "They're good at beating Turbo bots like you're good at getting Shredder bots. Each sector can beat their native bots the easiest." Suddenly Amy's eyes widened. "That's it!"

Ray almost fell over at her sudden outburst. "What are you talking about?" He asked sitting back up and rubbing his head.

"Each of the five sectors has a native robot species that they can defeat with ease." She was drawing a letter over each type of robot. She drew an S over the Shredder bot, a C over the Sledge bot, an N over the Turbo bot, a W over the Drill bot and finally an E over the Spike bot.

"Right." He nodded watching her draw.

"Well if all five of the sectors unite, we could take on any swarm." She finished her drawing.

"What?" He said amazed.

"Well think about it. The giant swarms that are forming are made up of all kinds of robots, not just the native species of the sectors they are attacking. It only makes sense that the sectors could defeat them if they teamed up. After all with all our expertise in one group we would stand a pretty good chance at winning." She looked up from her drawing. "If nothing else, it would at least even the odds."

"So Ray do you have faith in this plan?" Jet asked. He was sitting at the head of the meeting. Amy had told him about her plan and he had called all his members together to discuss it.

Ray looked as if he were in thought, before lifting his head to face his leader. "Yes I do." He nodded.

"But we've always protected South Sector!" Fiona interjected. "How can we leave our sector defenseless and just run off to help some other sector?"

Amy was angered by Fiona's remark. She was making Amy sound like she didn't care about anyone's sector but her own. "If we don't do something it won't matter whether you're in North, South, East, West, or Central there won't be any sectors left to protect."

Jet looked from Fiona to Ray again. "You're our best strategist, what do you say?"

Ray folded his arms. "I think it's a good plan." He had given it some real thought and he'd come to the same conclusion as Amy. "If we try this we might be able to defeat these robots for good." He turned to Fiona. "And at worst it will even the playing field so that we will stand a chance."

Jet nodded in agreement. "If our assumptions are correct, then what happened to our base is sure to befall the other four sectors as well." The red of the group nodded in agreement. "We will take what we can and head for the closest sector."

"But that's...East Sector." Cosmic pointed out.

Amy looked at Jet. "I'm guessing you've never received any transmissions from East Sector either."

He nodded. "We've nerve received any form of communication from them."

Wave stood beside Jet. "They are still the closest sector to us."

"Why bother with East Sector." Storm asked. "To our knowledge, no other sector as ever heard from them either. Perhaps they can't help us."

"But we will need all the help we can get." Amy pointed out. "And besides they could be the only ones with the right knowledge to easily take out Spike bots." Amy assumed this was true as Spike bots mostly stayed in the East, and were the one of the rarest bots to see outside of their prospective sector.

"She's right, even if we don't communicate with the East Sector, they have just as much right to survival as the rest of us." Wave agreed with Jet.

~~West Sector~~

"Honey, Is it done yet? Is it done yet?" A little bumble bee was hovering over the shoulder of a yellow cat.

"No Charmy!" Honey slammed her fist down on the table. She had on a red dress and heels. She had some light chainmail like material under her dress and some metal bonds on her wrists. She was generally a very sweet girl, but she also sported a hot temper when pressed.

"Awwww..." The little bee sighed. He had on a helmet and the same kind of metal clamps on his wrists. "I wanna test it out first!" He was talking about the new gear Honey was working on.

"I told you, as soon as it's done you'll be the first one to give it a try, now will you please quiet down!" She elbowed him to the ground playfully.

Someone chuckled from the door. "It's so funny." The two looked up to see who was laughing at them. Tikal was standing there smiling. "Usually you wouldn't think a Tech would be so violent."

Honey sat up, but she still had all her weight on Charmy so he couldn't get away. "I can't help it, he's been bugging me since this morning."

Tikal giggled. "I'm just giving you grief Honey." She sat down in a chair. Tikal, although she could take things very seriously when need be, she had mostly remained untouched by the destruction of the world. Her attire hadn't really changed all that much. Her team mates had insisted that she wear some kind of armor. The white wraps around her dreadlocks were now metal, she wore some strong boots, and she had a small chest plate as well and wore the same metal clasp around wrist as the others. It seem that the entire West Sector dawned a pair of these metal wrist bands.

Honey got up at last and sat down next to Tikal. "So, how were Vector and Espio?" She asked.

"They're doing just fine." She smiled. "There really wasn't much for me to do. Most of their wounds were already healed up by the time they got back."

"Well that's good to hear." Honey said as she ran her hand through her black hair, she had a smooth smile on her lips. "I bet they're receiving visitors."

Tikal rested her head in her palm. "Yes, Mina is definitely with Espio." She looked up at her in a cute friendly manner. "Don't you think you should go see Vector?"

Honey just tossed her hair over her shoulder. "If he wants to see me, then he'll have to find me. Besides me and Vector don't have that kind of relationship."

"But you flirt with him all the time." Tikal blinked.

"Ha! I'll get you yet." A yellow mongoose aimed another punch at Espio. She had long purple hair and she had black and silver armor on her legs and arms. She huffed as she landed on the other side and turned quickly to see Espio turning to face her.

"You've gotten faster while I was way." He whipped the sweat from his brow.

She grinned. "I hope you didn't think I'd get slower." She began to approach him.

"Honestly I was expecting a different kind of welcome for my return." He smiled as he looked down at her.

"Maybe something like this?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He blushed deeply and closed his eyes returning the kiss. When she finally relented she looked up at him. "That meet your expectations?"

He smiled pushing a strand of her purple hair out of her face. "It was a lot closer." He leaned in and kissed her again. This time she blushed as she fell back against the wall and felt his warm touch as his hands ran up her body.

"Espio." She blushed as he slipped his fingers between hers and pined one arm over her head while his other hand ran down her side stopping at her hip. He kissed her lips and then down her neck. "E-Espio, you're embarrassing me." Her cheek was pressed up against the wall as he pushed into her neck sucking and leaving a hicky where his lips had just been.

"Doesn't it feel good?" He asked as he moved a little further down her body.

"Ah," She blushed as she felt him slide his hand under her black tank top. "Um, ah..." she sighed when he began to gently touch her chest. "It-It feels good." She blushed looking down at him.

He returned her glance with a kiss. "You want a little more?" He asked as he held her up on one knee and her back still against the wall.

"Um," She blushed as she felt his knee between her legs. She felt him pin her other hand above her head next to the first. "Ah Espio." She blushed and moaned a little.

"I can't go on, if you don't ask me too." He said pressing his forehead against hers. He pressed his knee up a little higher making her gasp. "So, do you want me to go on?"

"Espio!" There came a frantic beating at the door. It was Honey's voice. "Mina!"

"Not now Honey." Espio said in what was almost a growl. He was obviously annoyed at the interruption.

"We're under attack!" The cat screeched.

"What?" He turned quickly to the door as did Mina. They both ran out into the hall. "How many are there?" Espio and Mina were following Honey towards the main entrance of the base. "Ten? Fifteen?" He was guessing the usual number of attacking bots.

"It's nothing like before." Honey warned as they ran. "There's over fifty of them!"

"What?" Mina interjected. "Fifty!"

"That's not even the worse part." Honey frowned as the three burst through the exit and were suddenly entering the fray that was going on above.

Espio and Mina's eyes grew wide as they looked around. The rest of West Sector was already fighting as hard as they could. Surrounding them were not only the Drill bots of the south but Sledge bots and even some Spike bots were among them.

"Heaven help us..."


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter sorry I know I'm being slow, but as they say Rome wasn't built in a day, lol. I hope you guys like it. R&R PLZ!

**Chapter 9**

"How are you holding up Rouge?" Amy asked as she looked up at Rouge. The two were flying, and Amy was hanging in Rouge's grip.

"Just fine. I don't feel any strain at all when in the air." She smiled.

The team had decided to take a good portion of the trip in the air. Not only was it safer and faster, but almost all of the members of South Sector could fly. The only one's incapable of flight were Amy, Fiona, and Cosmic. "How far out are we now?" Wave was looking back at Ray.

The flying squirrel was looking at a small handled device. "We crossed East Sectors border two hours ago. We must be getting close by now."

"Jet," Wave looked at her green hawk. "The sun is almost set, we should find somewhere to stay for the night, it's not safe to travel in unknown territory at night."

He nodded in agreement. "We'll take shelter in those trees down there." The land of the East wasn't by any means the same as the South, but there were some similarities. There were trees, but most of them were that of swamp lands and the ground was covered in dead leaves. It was a rather horrid environment, but it also rather thriving.

The eight of them sat in a circle around a very small fire. "We'll take turns sleeping. But there must be one person awake at all times to make sure the fire doesn't grow to large. We don't want any surprises."

"I'll take first watch." Rouge offered. "It's easier for me to stay awake at night." The others nodded in agreement as they curled up and prepared to lay down and rest.

Many hours pas, before Amy felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hum?" She looked up sleepy eyed to see Rouge looking down at her.

"It's your turn to take watch." Rouge helped her sit up. "I gave you an extra hour."

"Thanks, but you're the one who did all the work today, you deserve the extra hour." She smiled graciously at her friend.

"It can't be helped, I'm nocturnal." Rouge yawned and laid back. "But a little cat nap would be nice."

Amy watched the fire closely. She let her mind run deep in thought so that she could stay awake. She kept wondering how on earth were they going to get all the sectors together in time? She had many questions, but she dare not ask them for fear of causing the others to give up on her plan. She was poking the fire to decrease its size when suddenly she heard the sound of something moving in the brush nearby. She jumped up and squinted to see what was out there. Suddenly she realized she could see the figure of someone standing there. "Hello?" The shadow quickly began to dart away. "Wait!" Without thinking she got up and ran after it. "Where did they go?" She looked around quickly as she entered the swampy grounds. "Hello?" She asked again.

"What are you doing here?" A voice answered.

"Are you a part of East Sector?" She asked looking around for the source of the voice.

"Maybe, depends are you single?"

"What?" She questioned suddenly seeming caught off guard.

"You don't answer questions well." Suddenly the owner of the voice came towards her.

Amy began to get angry. She was on a ligament mission and this person was just toying with her. "Who the hell are you!"

"What way is that for a girl to talk." Suddenly the owner of the voice was coming right at her.

Amy pulled out her hammer and was about to smack it down on the attacker when suddenly a fist flew out in their path and, without being able to stop, Amy's pursuer ran smack into the fist and fell backwards. Amy looked down at the swirly eye hedgehog now on the ground. He was lime green and had a pair of red shades perched on his brow and he was in a black leather jacket. She looked up at the one who had held out his fist. It was a black hedgehog with red stripes in his quills. He was wearing a pair of baggy blue jeans . Amy couldn't help thinking in the back of her mind that he was handsome.

The black hedgehog retracted his fist. "What have I told you about medaling with outsiders Scourge."

"Ah come on Shadow, I was just having a little fun." He stood up rubbing the back of his head with a smug grin on his face. "Don't tell me you wanted a piece of the action."

"As if." Shadow turned to Amy. "She's nothing to get excited about."

Amy's image of him suddenly shattered in spite of anger. "Well I could say the same about you, ya big jerk!"

He folded his arms. "What the hell is someone like you doing in the East?"

She wore an angry expression as she snapped back her reply. "I'm looking for East Sector."

"Why?" Shadow asked still looking at her with the same disinterested look on his face.

"We need your help." She said taking a step toward him her hammer still tight in her grip.

Shadow took one step back, as if she had a disease and he didn't want to catch it. "What makes you think we are East Sector?"

"I can tell." She said looking directly into his eyes, with her own angry ones. "You're the leader."

Shadow's eyes became skeptical slits. "Who are you?"

"I'm-"

"She's with us." Shadow turned quickly and saw the other members of the group standing there.

Suddenly Shadow and the one he called Scourge disappeared. "Hey wait!" Amy yelled.

"Amy, who were they?" Wave asked.

"Were they East Sector members?" Storm asked.

"Yes, I'm sure of it!" Amy said in frustration. "If only I'd had just a little more time." She laced up her boots tighter. "I'm going to go look for them."

"What, you can't go alone." Ray said in a concerned tone.

"I have too." She said as her hammer rested on her shoulder. "They showed themselves to me, because I was just one, they'll never appear again if we are in a huge group."

"But Amy what if they turn out to have ill intentions?" Cosmic questioned.

"The green one was a pervert, and the black and red one, he was defiantly an arrogant punk, I'm not scared of either of them at all." she held up her hammer with a grin. "I can handle them, besides this could be our only chance to let them know what's happening."

Jet sighed. "Alright, but if you're not back by sunrise, we will come looking for you, and we won't be on friendly terms." He said crossing his arms. He was already suspicious of East Sector as it was.

Amy's determination drove her into the swampy forest rather quickly. She didn't want to waste any time. The last thing they need was for South Sector to be headed down the war path simply because she ran out of time. No, she was determined to keep that from happening. How could they expect to defeat the robots if they couldn't even keep the peace between themselves. Amy was perched in a tree taking a breather. She listened carefully for any heavy signs of movement.

She waited for about ten minutes. She was about to start moving again when she heard a twig snap. "Gottcha." She whispered as she saw the shadowed figure of someone running beneath her. She quickly began to hop the branches overhead to follow them. When she was sure she could keep pace with them, she yelled out. "Hey you, wait a second." She said. They were obviously caught off guard as they turned quickly over their shoulder to see who was following them, and then they picked up speed. "Hey wait a minute!" Amy ran faster as well. "Hey I just-" She gasped when she realized the person was suddenly lifting off the ground, but they had no wings to speak of.

Amy rubbed her eyes as she looked up. The levitating figure came to the light. It was an imp, he had clothes made of dark blue, purple and green, and he wore no armor at all. His eyes looked as if they reflected the sky of South Sector, they were large deep blue with glitters of sparkling white within them. "Looks like we have an intruder after all." He spoke. "I thought you'd get scared and run away, but you seem to be a trespasser, no matter how minuscule."

"I'm not a threat." Amy tried to argue. She went to move forward, but suddenly her whole body was frozen. She couldn't move a muscle. "W-What is this?"

"Don't worry, it's just me." The imp smiled as he moved his finger and caused her to come to his side. "I have telekinesis you see, and it's quite useful in completely immobilizing my enemy."

"Let me go!" Amy demanded as she tried desperately to move.

"No, I'm sorry I can't do that now. Looks like I'll have to take you back to base and let Shadow, decide what to do with you."

~~ Central Sector ~~

"What's taking so long." Sonic hit the ground.

"Clam down Sonic." Tails tried to sooth his friend. "You know as well as I do that these mission can take some time."

Knuckles nodded in agreement. "Especially since Amy's never gone before. You gotta give them time."

"I want to go to South Sector." Sonic looked up.

"No." Tails and Knuckles said in unison.

"You're supposed to be letting Amy stretch her wings." Knuckles folded his arms. "If you go crashing in there now, you're going to ruin any progress you've made."

"Progress?" He blinked.

"Yeah," Tails nodded. "Amy is just starting to feel like you trust her a little, if you go now, then she'll think you never trusted her at all."

"Which, honestly, wouldn't be too far from the truth." Knuckles mumbled.

"I trust her!" Sonic protested looking upward with an irritated face. "It's just, well."

"You're worried about her, we know." Tails smiled with a reassuring hand on Sonic's shoulder.

Knuckles was looking up at the sky. He'd never said it out loud, but he worried about Rouge. He wondered how she was doing. If she was still traveling, or had she made it to South Sector? Was she fighting in a battle now? Did she need his help? And most of all he wondered if she was thinking about him as much as he was thinking of her.

~~Base of East Sector~~ 

The Imp had taken Amy to a grove of trees that were larger than any she'd ever seen, and there were thousands of smaller trees growing around them, as if to help support their massive size. The larger trees were so high up you could barely see the tops. She had assumed that the imp would simply fly to the top, but instead he went through the intricate collections of trunks at the bottom until he came to one of the smaller ones that was crooked to the side. He pulled down on its branch and suddenly a doorway opened up the trunk of one of the large trees. It was an elevator.

Amy was now inside what looked to be one of the most advanced bases she'd ever seen. There was lots of metal everywhere and it didn't look anywhere near has primitive as the base s in Central and South Sector. "Hey Void, what'cha got there?" Amy was suddenly brought back to attention when she heard the voice. Standing in front of them was a black cat. She was very curvy and she had two big hoops in each ear. She had on an Arabian long sleeved top that exposed her shoulders and her midriff. On her lower she wore a metal belt around her waist that held up what look like an long purple female loincloth, she too wore no armor.

"Yo Ebony." Void answered. "She's a pretty feisty prisoner this one."

"What'd you bring her here for?" A second voice sounded. This time it was a yellow male mongoose. He had short black hair and he wore a pair of small purple glasses just on his noise. He was dress all in black with jeans and a shirt with the sleeves ripped off, and over top that was an undone white shirt. His right ear had three studs in it and he also had no armor to speak of.

"I thought she was interesting." Void answered. "When I showed myself to her, she didn't run or scream. She even yelled at me."

"Oh come on Ash," Ebony knocked the mongoose's shoulder. "He's gonna have to take her to Shadow for sentencing so what's it really matter."

Ash folded his arms. "Yeah, she probably would of died in the swamps anyway."

"Hey, you!" She growled. "I'll have you know I was doing just fine!"

The three of them looked up at her surprised that she had such gal to enter their conversation. Ash was the first one to retort. "That's why you got caught right?"

Amy growled. "Well excuse me, but I've never fought anyone with these kinds of powers. I'd like to know how well you'd fare if you're entire body was immobilized."

Ash snorted. "You sure are a loud mouth for someone who is a prisoner."

Ebony crossed her arms. "She's definitely got some spunk."

Void nodded. "It's weird how's she not afraid of us." He tilted his head to the side. "Why aren't you afraid of us?"

"Why should I be?" Amy said in a slightly demanding tone. "None of you are scary." She looked up in a snooty fashion. "My overprotective leader is scarier than you guys."

Each was about to make a retort, but a familiar voice came from behind them. "What are you three doing in the hall, I didn't authorize a party." Shadow was approaching them. He came up between Ebony and Ash. His eyes widened just a bit when they landed on Amy. "What are you doing here?" His eyes became normal again, with just a hint of annoyance.

"Shadow you know her?" Ebony blinked.

"Yeah," Shadow folded his arms looking up at her. "She's a pest, I found Scourge playing around with." He narrowed his eyes. "I told her to get lost."

"Well she didn't listen." Void said looking up at Amy. "I found her not too far out from the base." He looked back at Shadow. "Hey she didn't even act scared when she saw me."

Shadow's eyes moved from Amy to Void then back again. "Let her down Void."

He blinked. "Are you sure?"

"She's just one girl, what's she gonna do against all of us? If she knows what's good for her she'll be a good little girl and do as she's told." He saw Amy's ragging scowl. "If she wants to live that is."

"Well whatta ya say sweetie?" Ebony looked up at her.

"Oh I'll behave, " She suddenly dawned a smile. "I'll be good of course."

Void lowered her down and as soon as her feet touched the floor Amy reared back her leg and kicked Shadow right in the shin. "Ow!" He stumbled and put one hand against the wall to steady himself. He was more caught off guard than anything, the pain he felt was a minor annoyance compaired to the blow to his pride. Ebony laughed and the other two males sighed. "Why you little..." He glared at Amy.

"You got what you deserved." She had her arms folded. "Now, I'm ready to behave you jerk."

"I'll take it from here." Shadow stood back up.

"You sure?" Ebony smirked. "She's pretty dangerous, might be too much for you to handle Shadow."

"Don't patronize me." Amy said with her fists at her sides.

"Sweetie," She smiled. "I'm patronizing him." She was pointing at Shadow.

"I said I got it." Shadow said narrowing his eyes a bit.

"Alright, alright." Ebony waved one hand. "No need to get all high and mighty. Come on guys." She and the other two disappeared down the hall.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"How do you think she's doing?" Cosmic voiced the question at last as the three of them set around the fire.

"She's fine." Rouge spoke without one bit of hesitation.

"You think she's found any of them yet." Wave offered up another question.

"It seems like a win/lose situation." Storm folded his arms.

"Got that right." Ray agreed with the big guy.

Jet was staring into the fire. "She still has an hour."

"Come on," Shadow began to walk the opposite way down the hall. He noticed Amy wasn't following. "I won't bite." He said rolling his eyes.

"I'm not afraid of you." Amy made that clear. "I simply don't like being told what to do, by someone like you." She crossed her arms and began to follow him.

"You must of driven your sector leader to insanity by now."

"I'll have you know I'm second in command in my sector." She said looking at him as she walked at his side.

"You must have driven him even crazier than I thought." His eyes were half closed as if with boredom.

"Be quiet!" Amy stomped one foot. "Stop talking about me like you know me!"

"Heaven forbid." He rolled his eyes. "I can see you have a taste for dramatics."

She resisted a growl. "And you have a knack for being an ass." She folded her arms turning away from him.

"Just one of my many talents." He offered as he pressed a button and door slip open.

The opening door suddenly jerked Amy's attention in different direction. "Shadow," She looked at the door.

"How do you know my name?" He interrupted as he looked at her from the corner of his eye.

She didn't look at him, her eyes were still on the door. "I heard the others call you that," She finally turn to him with a common expression. "What, did you think I was just idling while I was being held hostage right over your conversation. Next time if you don't want your prisoner to overhear your conversation, then make sure he or she isn't within earshot."

"Whoever said you were a prisoner?" He asked as he lead her into the room.

"Well, that just happens to be the general term I use when I'm held against my will by someone." She said sarcastically as she looked around. Upon studying the room, she realized that she was standing in a training room. Shadow approached a punching bag and began landing punches and kicks. Amy had one hand on her hip. "I didn't come here to see you train."

"I didn't bring you here to watch." He said looking at her. "It helps me keep from killing you from utter irritation." He said looking at her with rather calm expression. Amy grimaced as she took a step back. "Tell me," He kicked once more. "What are you and all those others doing here." Coming from him it sounded more like a demand than a question.

She looked up at him. "We need your help." She said suddenly taking a few steps forward her mind completely on her mission now. "Armageddon is going to happen again, the robots are forming multi-species swarms, and in our theory, they will form one giant swarm and sweep over the Earth like they did before."

"We've never asked any of the other sectors for help, so why should we help them?" He said landing two more punches.

"Because, you're the only ones with explicit knowledge on how to handle Spike bots." She clinched her fists with urgency, "and without you guys, it leaves a giant gaping hole in our strategy to save everyone."

"We'll take care of ourselves." He said as he finished another punch and stared at the punching bag.

"Are you listening to yourself!" Amy was suddenly angry with his indifference. She was directly in his face. "How can you do this!" She had angry tears in the brims of her eyes. "How can you just sentence your own sector to death so easily!" She said beating on his chest.

"Stop," He said as he tried to take her wrists. He didn't particularly want to hurt her.

"No!" She shook her head. She was jarring him. "I won't let you make this kind of decision!"

"Let go of me," He said taking her by the shoulders.

"I won't!" She suddenly slapped him across the face. Shadow's head was turned to the side and his cheek was red from the slap. He slowly turned his head back to her looking down with an expression of disbelief. He released one hand fully attempting to retaliate, but he saw her eyes shaking as she looked up at him. She grabbed his free hand suddenly, and at that moment he realized that the quivering in her eyes was not fear or anger, but resolve. "I won't let you commit suicide!" His eyes widened a bit at her words. "I won't let you do this to yourself or to your friends and mine! I don't care what I have to do!"

"That's why your here then," He said taking his other hand from her shoulder gently prying her hands from around his. "You're serious. You really want this don't you."

"I'd trade my place in heaven." She said her memory of her lost friends crossed her mind. "To keep it from happening again." She looked up at him, her eyes still filled with the same resolve. "I'll give you anything!"

"Fine." He said turning back to the punching bag. "We will join you."

"Thank you..." She clinched a fist in success to her heart.

"But," He looked at her. "In exchange, you will join my sector after it is all over."

"What!" She looked at him unable to believe his request.

"You said you'd give me anything."

"W-What do you want with me?" She blushed.

"We need a slave around here." He answered with a matter of fact voice.

"A salve!" She yelled in rebuke.

"That's right," He folded his arms. "Someone to use as a bargaining chip if the other sectors ever get any strange ideas in their heads." It was obvious that Shadow's thoughts were always on his own gain.

"B-But..."

"If you don't want to that's fine, then just count us out." He said turning away.

"No wait!" She took a step forward, and then heaved a sigh. "I'll do it. I'll be your slave." She said as her eyes shifted to the wall unable to look at him as she caved to his demands.

"Very well then, we have an accord."

"What do you think Shadow's got up his sleeve?" Void asked as he sat next to Ebony and Ash.

"There's no telling with that hedgehog." Ebony answered as she crossed her legs and arms.

"I'm sure it's something that benefits him." Ash said with folded arms and his usual hard expression.

Ebony sighed. "In any case what benefits him usually benefits us all." She wanted to trust Shadow to do the right thing, but the evidence was against him. He had originally become leader by brute force, but as time went on the others came to accept his leadership and no longer challenged it, instead most of them would fight to keep him as their leader.

"What's up with this meeting?" Scourge asked as he entered the room. He plopped d own in a chair leaning back in a lazy boyish fashion.

"I think he's got a little anointment to make about that prisoner." Ash answered, in a tone of indifference.

"Prisoner?" Scourge sat up. "When did we get a prisoner?"

"Maybe if you got your head out of your ass once in a while, and actually cheeked in with rest of us sometimes you'd learn a little more." Ash answered.

"Hey-" He was about to get up in retaliation, but Ebony pushed him back into his seat with her foot.

"Don't start you two." She looked from Scourge to Ash. "Now," She looked back at the lime green hedgehog. "That little pink hedgehog you insisted on interacting with decided to look for our base. She got pretty close and Void caught her. Shadow is probably going to tell us what is to happen to her."

"Wow," Scourge said as he sat there. "That girl made it all the way out here on her own." He smiled. "Tough chick." He grinned sheepishly. "Didn't know she was that into me."

"Your over self confidence is sickening." Void shook his head.

"You're just jealous that she's digs my green spikes instead of your freaky eyes." Scourge crossed his arms, enjoying himself.

Void lifted one brow. "You really need to get a grip." He rolled his eyes.

"Don't feel too bad. I didn't get a look at the others cause they were all laying down, but I'm sure one or two of them are females, so you'll still have a chance."

"What?" Ebony looked up. "What do you mean others?"

"She's just one of a whole little group that's out there." He answered as he spread his arms across the back of his chair.

"Alright all of you." They looked up to see Shadow as he entered the room followed by Amy. He stood in front of them. "I've found out what all of these guys are doing in our sector." He looked at Amy. "It looks like Armageddon is coming again." He said with a serious expression. Their expression changed dramatically but they stayed silent as Shadow had given no sign of being finished. "It would seem that they've already formulated a plan that could help us stop this and at worst it will at least give us our best chance of survival."

"And you trust her," Ash looked at Amy then at Shadow. "And those others as well?"

"Yes," Shadow answered.

"If you trust this plan then so do I." Ebony stood up.

"Me too." Void joined her.

"Cute babes, count me in." Scourge said with a smirk.

Ash sighed irritably. "Whatever."

"Good," Shadow said as he turned. "Start getting together what you will need. We need to get moving soon."

"Wait," Amy took Shadow's arm. "Do you have a communications system?"

"Yes, Ash toyed one up in his spare time." He answered.

"Can I use it before we go," She asked looking up at him. "Please."

"Fine, come with me." He looked at the others. "The rest of you get ready quickly." He lead Amy away.

"He's holding something back." Ash pointed out as he leaned against the wall.

"Look," Ebony turned looking at him seriously. "This is not the time for this."

"According to you it's never time for it."

"Ash!" She sighed in anger. "The end of the world is coming again, and you want to put our leader in question." She shook her head as she went to the door to do as Shadow had said. "The rest of us have accepted him, why can't you?" She left.

"Who are you contacting?" Shadow asked as he turned on the system.

"I want to tell my sector what's going on." She said as she approached the board. "We should have returned by now, so I know that they're worried. I also want to see If I can get in contact with the other sectors as well. " Shadow moved a side as she began punching in her communication codes. After a few moments the connection began to establish. "Come in West Sector." She said. "This is an emergency, please come in West Sector." She tried a few more times, but she got nothing.

Finally she began to attempting a different sector. "North Sector, this is an emergency call, please come in."

"This is North Sector, go ahead." Silver's voice was on the other end of the system.

"Silver!" Amy said in relief. "It's Amy." She said feeling a since of happiness. "From Central Sector."

"Amy," Silver's voice was a little confused. "Where are you, you're communications feed isn't coming in from the usual coordinates."

"I don't have a lot of time to explain, but there's a dire emergency, all the sectors need to converge at one location."

"What, all the sectors?" He repeated.

"Silver I promise there's no other way, we don't have much time. You know that I wouldn't lie to you." She promised. "Armageddon is coming."

There was silence for a moment before she received a response. "Alright Amy, what did you have in mind."

"I think that your base will be the safest, will you allow for the rest of the sectors to meet with you there?"

"Yes, when can I expect you?"

"South and East Sector will be coming straight there from the East. It may take more time for West and Central to get there."

"Alright, we'll see you in a week or so." He answered. "And Amy, be careful."

"Got it." She logged off and began calling Central Sector next. "Central Sector come in, this is Amy. Come in."

"Sonic!" Tails voice sounded down the hall. "Knuckles!"

"What is it Tails?" Sonic looked up from the table.

"We've got an incoming transmission!" He yelled quickly before running towards the communications center. Tails reached the communications panel. "This is Central come in," Sonic and Knuckles were at his side in seconds.

"Tails!" Amy was happy to hear his voice. "It's me Amy!"

"Amy, what's going on? You should have been back by now." Sonic was speaking into the mic.

"It's a long story." She sighed. "Look we are in East Sector right now."

"What!" All three of them yelled.

"Look, both South and East Sector are going to be heading for North Sector." She tried to sound like she knew exactly what she was doing, even though she had her doubts. "I've tried to get in contact with West Sector and I can't get anything. I need you guys to try and get in contact with them, and if you can't then hall ass and get over there." She sounded as if she were giving the orders now. "They may need help."

"What are you talking about Amy?" Sonic wasn't taking this well. "You need to come back to Central."

"No,"

"Amy this is an order, come home!" Sonic said unable to contain himself.

"Sonic I said no!" She yelled. "For once will you just listen to me! We made it to South Sector and there was nothing left!" She knew she had hit the mark when there was silence on the other end. "We were able to find the members. Hopefully you guys can do the same for West Sector. Now listen to me please, Armageddon is coming again."

"What?" She could tell that was Knuckles voice.

"Please get what remains of West Sector and meet us at North Sector's base." She said carefully. "I'm doing this, you're either with me or against me. So show that you trust me and do this! Amy out." She logged off.

Shadow was surprised at what she'd just said to her own team. "And here I thought you were doing all this for them."

"I am." She said turning off the machine.

"Sure doesn't sound that way."

"Shows how much you know." She turned. "Sometimes you have to use tough love. It's the only thing that works on those idiots." She sighed.

"Idiots huh." He stood up.

"They maybe idiots, but they are my idiots." She began to follow him.

"Okay, time's up." Jet stood up and Wave did as well.

"Let's go." Rouge agreed as the others stood.

"There's no need." Amy came into the clearing. "I'm back."

"Amy!" Rouge ran to her friend embracing her.

"Hey Rouge." She smiled hugging her back.

"How did it go?" Jet asked. "Did you find anything?"

"I'm not alone if that's what you mean." She looked over her shoulder and the East Sector members began to emerge from the trees.


	12. Chapter 11

**Well here's another chapter guys, hope you are liking the story so far. I think after this story I will have gotten all the action/adventure out of my system and will be ready to right another story like My song or Moving On. Would you guys like that? I want to know what my fans wanna read. :D**

**Chapter 11**

"How could she say that?" Sonic asked. He, Tails, and Knuckles were on their way to West Sector in the X-tornado.

"Because she's determined." Knuckles answered as he hung on to the cockpit from outside. "Couldn't you hear the seriousness in her voice. Something's really wrong." He looked at Sonic. "I'm surprised that you didn't notice." Knuckles then thought to himself. 'But then again Sonic leans more towards his own feelings for her than for her own good.'

"He's right Sonic. Something's got her scared. I think we should do what she said. I highly doubt this is just straight up Amy's decisions. More than likely the other Sectors are contributing to these verdicts."

"Let's just get to West Sector." Sonic said looking forward.

Somewhere just outside of East Sector were two groups traveling together. It was easy to see that South and East Sector hadn't quite gotten use to each other yet. They traveled with a well divided line between them. Amy and Rouge were walking with South Sector. "Everyone sure is friendly..." Rouge commented.

Amy let out a tiny sigh. "At least they're willing to travel together. I think most of the impact comes from East Sector never communicating with anyone."

"Think any of them will break this invisible barrier?" Rouge asked.

"We'll see." Amy looked over at East Sector. She noticed that Scourge was looking in this direction. At first she thought he was looking at her, but then she realized he was eyeing up Fiona. She thought to herself. 'Surely Fiona can feel those eyes burning into her body.' Amy waited and watched.

It wasn't too long before Fiona finally looked in Scourge's direction. He made his sexy grin and winked at her. Amy was sure this was where she would flip him off or worse do something to him. But what happened amazed her. Fiona blushed a bit and then turned away. Amy couldn't believe it. If she didn't know any better , she'd think that was an act of encouragement.

The next act was just as surprising, though she knew she should expect that sort of thing from Scourge. The lime colored hedgehog broke away from his group and took up a walking position next Fiona. It was obvious that his so called 'love' interest took priority over his pride and relationship with his team mates. Amy even found herself wishing she could hear their conversation, but the two had wonder a somewhat small distasting from the groups, just far enough to be out of ear shot.

"So did it hurt?" Scourge asked looking at the fox smoothly.

"Did what hurt?" She looked at him with one arched eyebrow.

"When you fell out of heaven."

"What the hell?" She was trying not to laugh. "Could you be any cornier?"

"Come on," He said stretching out his hands. "That's a classic."

"Yeah, from the stone age." She giggled. "You're such a loser."

"Hey come on," He said pulling his shades down over his eyes. "You know I'm cool. Below zero baby."

She let out a laugh. "Please, you're gonna give me a cramp from laughing so much."

"Don't you think I'm the least bit appealing?" He asked putting his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.

Fiona didn't know why, but for some reason she felt a little sympathy for Scourge, he had been genuinely trying to impress her. She smiled at him sympathetically. "I'll admit, before you approached me and opened your mouth, I thought you looked cool. Standing off to the side with your shades and leather jacket, and your grin."

His eyes lit up. "I knew you had a thing for me." He smiled putting his arm around her.

"Let's not get carried away." She pushed his arm off. "Permission to touch does not a sympathetic compliment give."

"Ah playing hard to get eh." He leaned in a little closer. "I like that."

With Fiona and Scroug setting the example, some time passed and at last the layer of ice melted between a few other members. Ebony and Cosmic were walking side by side discussing their medical expertise and Storm and Void were talking about their different attack techniques. Amy moved in next to Shadow at the head of the group. "Looks like these two teams will be able to get a long after all."

"It's more like toleration." He was looking straight ahead.

"Toleration?" She blinked.

"Or taking advantage of the situation. Whatever you want to call it."

"What do you mean?" She asked walking fast enough to keep pace with him.

"I mean that each one of my team members is making the best of this. Learning all they can." He said looking back over his shoulder and then forward again.

"Did you teach them to be so intuitive?" She questioned with a sultry look.

"No, they learned it on their own. I rarely teach anything directly. I believe that you learn better when you learn from mistakes and experience."

"You make it sound like pain and suffering are the only teachers."

"Sometimes they can be."

"How can you say that?" She looked at him with an utter loss of understanding. "And so casually?"

"It's a balance pinky." He said sounding a little annoyed.

"What are you talking about balance? And don't call me that!" She demanded. He simply continued looking forward. He didn't answer. "Hey Shadow, I'm talking to you!" She was about to punch him in the shoulder when suddenly he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. She blushed. "Shadow." In the next second he had her on the ground. "W-What are you doing you pervert! " She yelled. She was scrambling underneath him.

"Damn it be still." He growled.

Amy looked to the side as she struggled and realized that everyone else was on the ground as well. "W-What...?" 

"Shh. Just don't move, and be quiet." He said laying down against her. She could feel his muzzle against the side of her cheek. She also realized that she felt his warm breath on the curve of her neck. It made her blush madly as she thought about the position they were in.

Overhead was a passing swarm of sledge bots. They looked to be headed to Central Sector. They all laid perfectly still until the small swarm had past. Shadow lifted slowly. He looked at Amy's face. He saw her blushing and the gentle expression on her face that told him she'd never experienced that feeling before. "Don't make that face." he said getting up. "Honestly, assuming I was going to do something perverted to you. You have high aspirations."

"Shut up!" Amy yelled as she jerked up into a sitting position. "You're the one with a high opinion of yourself!"

"How deeply are you reading into me exactly?" He asked with a bit of a smirk.

"I don't intend to go past the surface." She said as she got up and began to walk forward. "And even if I wanted to I couldn't because you have a stone wall put up around you. You wouldn't let me in anyway." She walked off.

"And you talk about me saying stuff so casually." He calmly walked after her and softly asked himself. "How can she tell so much about me by just looking at me?"

That evening they'd made it to the edge of Eastern territory. They were all settling down to sleep. The next day they would officially be out of the Eastern Sector. That night there were two fires, but the groups weren't split up as expected. Amy, Shadow, Rouge, Jet, Wave, and Ray sat at one fire and at the other was Scourge, Fiona, Wave, Ebony, Ash, Void and Cosmic.

Scourge was the first to voice a question to both groups. "Who's going on fire duty first?"

"I will." Shadow answered easily.

"Sweet." Scourge scooted next to Fiona. "I wanna sleep with my baby." He grinned.

"Get real." Foina put her hand on his face and pushed him backwards.

"Aw come on, don't resist your desires to be closer to me." He said looking up at her from the ground.

She rolled her eyes. "You're such an idiot."

"But I'm a really hot idiot, don't you think?" He asked as he sat up letting his black leather jacket slide off his arms. She blushed as the motion was very Sauvé and appealing. He took the jacket and put it around her shoulders. "Come on admit it." He said pulling her a little closer. She was beginning to cave when he smirked and said, "Tell me, who's your daddy."

She blushed embarrassed and knocked him on the head with her fist. "Did Ash use you as a lab rat for an experiment gone horribly wrong or something!"

"Or horribly right?" He smirked rubbing his aching head as he leaned towards her.

She was about to invoke yet another insult when his chest caught her interest again. She noticed he had two scars on his chest, but she had yet to find out why. "What are those from?" She asked in a fit of curiosity.

"Hum?" He looked down at his chest and then back up. "Oh those." He let his head rest in his palm. "They're just battle wounds." He answered casually.

"Battle wounds?" She leaned on one hand. "Spike bot?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Ebony sowed me up pretty good huh." He took her free hand suddenly and placed it on his chest.

She blushed. "What are you doing?" She was about to jerk away.

"See?" He looked up at her. "You can easily see the scars, but you can't really feel them at all."

"Yeah." She agreed, realizing that he was right.

"This way I get to show off my battle scars, but my girl doesn't have to feel them." He smiled up at her.

She blushed again retracting her hand. "You're such a perverted dork."

"I'm really impressed." Cosmic was talking to Ebony. "To think you sowed up his wound using only fine threads of fiber from a plant and the needle of a cactus." He looked at Scourge's chest. "I'm amazed at how well the scars healed."

"Sowing him up wasn't really that hard." She smiled looking at her comrade's enjoyment. "Removing the spikes from his chest without losing too much blood, and then of course getting him to be still long enough to heal." She returned her gaze to Cosmic. "As you can imagine those fiber strings are tough enough to hold the flesh together for healing, but placing any extra stress on them, they snap immediately. We had to strap him down for a few days."

"Where did you learn all of your techniques?" He said in interest.

"Before Armageddon I use to live in a jungle swamp tribe. I was in training to be the healer. I learned to use nature as my source of healing. It was the most important powerful source of medicine we had."

"That's way deeper than just attending medical school like me." He said with a smile.

"You're knowledge comes in handy too. I'm amazed at how quickly you can diagnoses a sickness. I can reduce symptoms pretty easily, but it helps so much to know what I'm treating."

"Good old fashion memorization on my part." He rubbed the back of his head.

It was getting late and the night had reached its full darkness as Shadow sat quietly watching the fires. "So what's going through your mind right now?" Amy asked.

"What are you doing up?" He asked not turning way from the fire.

"I'm a big girl now, remember?" She rested her folded arms on her knees. "I don't have a bed time," She looked at him slightly. "And I couldn't sleep." She turned her head fully and looked at him. "So, what are you thinking about?"

"About what's gonna happen to all the poorly trained idiots that are gonna get involved in all this crap."

She grunted. "Why are you always so negative? You don't ever say anything positive." She said with irritation.

"Sorry I don't have sun shine pouring out my ass like the rest of your group." He said sarcastically.

"Ugh!" She growled. "I can't stand being around you." She jerked up to her feet and began walking away.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" He got up and turned in her direction. "You can't leave the safety of the fire or the group."

"I need to work out some stress. I can only take so much of your cheery disposition, so leave me alone." She walked away.

"Why is it always her causing trouble," He grunted as he began moving quickly to follow her. "He come back here," He said catching up to her easily.

"Go away Shadow." She said ignoring him as she walked into a small quarry of rocks. "I'm trying to resist the urge to punch you in the face right now."

His expression changed quickly as he suddenly jumped in front of her. "Why don't you try." He said leaning in closer. "Just try and hit me right here." He said tapping his cheek.

"ER!" She went to punch him, but Shadow easily caught her fist in his palm.

"As you can see there's no need to fight your urge, since you couldn't hit me in the face even if you tried." He said pushing her fist down.

"AH!" She swung with her fist, but he caught that one just as easily.

"See, you can't do anything." He said looking at her as a the air of triumph began to surround him.

"Don't bet on it you jerk!" She suddenly kicked him in the shin.

"Ow!" He growled holding his now throbbing shin. "Why the hell do you always resort to that!" He said angrily.

"Well why do you always fall for it?" She asked with equal loudness. "You just make me so angry that that's all I can think to do!"

"Uh you're such a pain in the ass!" He complained as he rubbed his shin. "It pisses me off."

"You pissed me off first!" She said folding her arms.

"You let the stupidest things bother you." He said standing straight again. "What does my opinion have to do with anything of yours?"

"You're just so negative." She said looking at him with full eye contact. "You don't think about anyone's feelings but your own. The way you talk you make it sound like there's no hope and that there's no mercy left in any of us."

"Why should we have mercy?" He asked looking away. "When we fight we should have no mercy, beat them into dust without remorse." He said in a cold voice.

"No!" She ran to his other side so that he had to look at her again. "You're wrong Shadow!" She said shaking her head. "It's true we do have to destroy these things, but it's not because we take pleasure in destroying, but because of our commitment to protecting." She moved closer so that she was face to face with him. "Don't lose your senses. If we cease to feel mercy or compassion, kindness, or remorse, then we are no different from the cold soulless machines we are fighting." She looked to the side slightly. "I'm fighting to save the world from metal monsters, not make room for flesh ones." She said turning back.

"How is it that you can sound so intelligent one moment and then switch back to a complete idiot the next?" He asked with a sigh.

"What's that suppose to mean?" She asked with her hands on her hips. "I don' think I like what you are implying."

"Who's implying anything? I said what I meant." He answered folding his arms.

"Ugh! You're such a jerk!" She kicked him in the shin.

"Damn it Amy!"


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Well here's another chapter. I've decided to go ahead and do my story the way I want. I thought maybe it was to predictable, but even if it is that's the way I thought of it so that's the way I'm writing it. A special thanks to _Icy Knuckles_, you're reviews really inspire me to write my story the way I want, and still know they are appreciated.

**Chapter 12**

"What the hell happened...?" Knuckles was looking around at what was left of West Sectors.

"It was really bad." Charmy was resting against a tree as Tikal wrapped a bandage around his arm. One of his wings was broken as well.

"Yes it was," Espio was standing with Sonic. "The whole base was brought to ruin in a matter of hours."

"We did all we could Espio." Vector had his hand on his leaders shoulder, his tail was wrapped in bandages, it had almost been severed off.

"That's right." Mina agreed, she had her temple wrapped up from a bad wound to the head. "We were greatly outnumbered, even if we had been fully prepared there's no way we could have held off that many."

Honey was standing next to Tails. "It doesn't make since." She had one eye bandaged over. She was closing to losing it. She was in great pain, but seem to be ignoring it. "Bots have never been such large groups before, let alone with a other spices."

"Amy was right." Tails said looking at Sonic, who was now forced to dim every bit of doubt he had in his mind.

"Yes, she was." Sonic nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Vector interjected.

"Amy told us that the robots were preparing for another Armageddon." He sighed. "It seems that she's right. For some reason they are gathering into swarms."

Knuckles nodded standing by Sonic. "None of us stand a chance at fighting them off in such small groups."

Tails agreed. "Amy had a plan. All the sectors will meet up in the North where the bots haven't attacked yet as far as we know."

"All the sectors?" Espio asked.

"All." Sonic nodded dryly.

"How in the hell did you get East sector to go along with this?" Espio questioned.

"We didn't," Knuckles answered. "Amy did."

"That's enough talk." Sonic said ready to change the subject. "We need to get ready to make our way to the North, we have to meet the others."

~Meanwhile~

"Nice moves for an Intel." Scourge smiled as he dodged an attack by Fiona.

"Not a bad dodge for a second." She said with a grin. "But that's the thing with you seconds." She smiled.

"And what's that babe?" He asked with a smirk as he saw her slender approach.

"You're too cocky for your own good." She went to the ground swinging a foot under his legs and causing him to plop onto his back in the dirt.

"Uh," He moved a bit as he put a hand to his head. "That's smarts."

"They seem to be getting along a little better." Wave smiled as she was sitting by Jet. The two groups had stopped to rest, and once again had seem to break up into twos and threes to chat.

"Maybe a little too well." Jet crossed his arms.

"Perhaps." She said looking at the two. "Then again Fiona flirts all the time, it doesn't mean-"

"Yes it does." He said looking down at her. "You can see them down there just as well as I can."

She was quiet for a moment and the nodded. "Yes, I can." She hugged his arm in the next moment her cheek pressed into his green feathers. "The only ones that aren't quite so easy to read are those two." She was looking at Amy and Shadow.

"Yes, it's hard to tell if they really hate each other or if there's something else between them."

"I'm not even sure if they know." Wave smiled.

"Shadow," Amy was standing in front of him as he sat on a rock. "Come on please, show me again."

"Can't you leave me the hell alone for five minutes?" He asked running one hand through his quills.

Amy had become acquainted with Shadows crude way of speaking to her. It seem a special treat he reserved only for her, one she was not fond of but still one she tolerated. "Please, Shadow, just stop being an asshole for one minute and pretend you know what decency is."

"I've showed you ten time already." He had been attempting to teach Amy a new move to take out a robot. It was made up of a high jump and ended in a spinning cannon ball.

"Please Shadow, I really want to learn this." She wanted to learn it to prove she could do it. She had begged Sonic to teach her such moves, but he had always said she wasn't ready.

"Uh you aren't gonna stop until you get this are you?" He said in a sigh.

"No." She answered firmly her hands clamped in fists of determination. "I won't give up."

Shadow was getting up when suddenly his ears twitched. "A swarm is coming." He looked up, but it was too late. The swarm was upon them.

"It's a swarm!" Cosmic yelled as he and Ebony made their way to the rest of the group, they had been hunting herbs.

Rouge's sensitive ears were twitching like crazy. "There's too many of them!"

"Run!" Jet ordered as he hurried them all towards the East direction.

"Jet why are we going this way?" Wave said as she took up running at his side.

"We might could lose them in a East forest." He said as he ran faster.

"Jet, the closet forest is 50 miles away!"

"We don't have any other choice, just run!" He said as he looked behind him. "Everyone run!" He said sliding to a stop to make sure everyone was there. He counted each one that ran by. "Hurry up!" He pulled Shadow aside as he passed. Amy was with him so she stopped as well. "Shadow, you and Amy lead the way. Wave and I will hold up the rear. Now go."

Shadow nodded and took off. Amy was still standing there. "Are you sure you guys don't need any help?" She said looking at them. She hadn't personally know the hawk and swallow for every long, but Amy had already become attached to them as if they were her own sector.

"We will be right behind you now move!" Jet yelled. Amy nodded and dashed after Shadow.

Amy was making her way through the group. She could see Shadow just ahead. He was obviously running at a slow pace for him, but he was trying to stay close to others. She was pulling forward and was by Storm and Ray. The two were beaded with sweat and fear, then she noticed they were spreading their wings. "NO!" She grabbed Storm's wing . "Stop!"

"Let go of him." Ray said stopping to help Storm. The others stopped as well looking back as they huffed and gasped for air.

"You can't fly!" She said shaking her head. "If you do that the bots will spot us for sure. Finding a target in the openness of the sky will be suicide you have to keep running!"

"Is that it?" Shadow asked standing at the front looking back at two. He wasn't even breathing hard. "Are you guys trying to kill yourselves? Are you cowards?"

"No!" Storm growled with anger. "But we would like to live!"

"Well then I suggest you stop squawking and haul ass this way." He began to run again. The others took a breath and began to follow. Storm and Ray looked at each. They sighed a bit and then began to run as well.

Jet and Wave could still see the others as they traveled in the rear making sure no one fell behind. Wave looked over her shoulder. "Oh no." She could see in the distant the swarm still coming towards them.

They were still running as hard as they could. Shadow looked ahead and could see they were approaching rocky terrain. It was filled with a single flowing stream and many ravines. It was a dangerous environment to be running in.

Rouge was the first to fall. She fell into a ravine. She shook her head. "Damn my leg..." She growled.

Ray stopped by her side. "It's your wound, it can't take this running."

"But I can't fly either." She said through gritted teeth as she strained to move. Flying would only give away their position.

"Rouge!" Amy was by her side in seconds.

"Just go!" Rouge said pushing her away. "There's no time!"

"No!" Amy said taking to her side again.

"Give her to me!" Storm had appeared behind Rouge. He lifted the bat up into his arms. "Now let's keep going before we're all killed!"

Amy nodded as she and Ray followed, as quick as they had found a solution, it still wasn't enough. A scout sledge bot had appeared just overhead. "Damn it all." Jet growled as he looked over his shoulder. He and wave were right with the rest of the group now. "Move it!" He yelled running faster and urging the other others forward.

Shadow looked back over his shoulder and saw the bot getting closer. "It's gonna give us away." He said as he suddenly slid to a stop turning around as he did so.

"Shadow!" Amy yelled as she stopped as well looking back at the black hedgehog as he ran toward the bot.

"What is he doing?" Wave looked at Jet as they saw the approaching hedgehog.

"We don't have time for this!" Jet growled. He looked at the others. "Don't stop!" The others looked at each other for a moment and then kept running. The group didn't slow up as Shadow and the bot disappeared behind them.

Amy's eyes darted from side to side. "This isn't right..."

"Amy?" Rouge saw the look on Amy's face as she held on to Strom. "Amy no!"

"I have to Rouge." She looked at her friend. "We can't just leave him behind." She turned and began to make her way back.

"Not her too!" Jet slapped his forehead in frustration.

"You're easy pickings." Shadow said as he hit jumped up slamming one strong fist in the sledge bots scanners. He teleported from side one to the next landing kicks and punches to the bot. It crackled and beeped as it fell to the group smoking.

Amy arrived just in time to see the bot smash in the ground. She was huffing as she stood there. Shadow looked down at her from his position in the air. He was slowly descending. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't just leave you behind." She said standing to her full height, still breathing a little harder than usual.

"It was just one bot." He said with a shrug. "Don't tell me you were worried about me." He arched a brow.

"Of course I was." She said with outright concern. Shadow blinked slightly taken aback by her answer.

"So what you have a thing for me now?" He said folding his arms.

"No!" She said angrily her fists forming. "I was worried because you are part of my team." She said clenching her fists. "I would of done the same for any of the others. No one should get left behind, not even you, you jerk."

"Typical Amy answer." He snorted as he began to step away from the bot. Suddenly the bots scanners lit up and it jetted up into the air.

"Shadow!" He hadn't even turned around yet. Amy ran toward him. The bot held up its hammers ready to eject them. "AH!" Amy jumped high into the air and in the next second she transformed into a pink spinning cannon ball. She slammed into the robot forcing it back to the ground and grinded it into nothing but parts. Piece of the robot spun out everywhere, and finally the form dissolved and Amy was on her knees in a pit she had formed from the attack.

Shadow stared for a moment. He couldn't believe what had just happened. This little pink no-nothing had saved his, a leader's, life. He was suppose to be above her in every way, and yet she had saved him, saved him as if were an incompetent inexperienced youngling.

Amy was breathing heavily as she looked up from her knees. "Oh I'm fine don't say thanks or offer to help me up or anything, I got it!" She said pushing herself up to stand. Shadow approached her. He stared at her, no words could come to his mouth. Amy rolled her eyes. "Oh God no, I would never make you say thanks or anything like that, so don't internally explode trying to understand the concept of gratitude." She said dusting herself off.

"Thank you."

"What?" She jerked her face in his direction. She saw his eyes looking downward as he clenched his fists. He'd given up all claims to his pride as he utter those two words. His fist were still shaking a bit. She smiled realizing that he wouldn't or couldn't say it again. "You're welcome."

"Someone should go back." Rouge said as she leaned against a tree. "If no one else will, then I'll go."

"With your leg in that shape, you wouldn't make it five miles alone." Ebony said with her hand resting in her palm as she sat on rock.

"You don't have any room to talk, not any of you Easter Sectors." She said whipping around to face the black cat. "Not one of you even blinked when Shadow turned back. Amy's not even part of East Sector as she cares more about what happens to him then you do."

"Hey," Ash growled standing up from a sitting position. "You don't know anything about Shadow, and you don't know anything about us. What goes on between us as sector doesn't concern you in the slightest."

"Stop!" Wave came between the two with her wings on her hips. "This is no time to be at each other's throats. We have enough to deal with, without you guys trying to tear one another apart."

"But what about Amy?" Rouge said looking at Wave.

"What about me?" Both sectors turned and saw Shadow and Amy walking side by side into the light of the fire.

"Amy!" Rouge wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. "You're safe."

"Of course I am." She smiled. "Come on Rouge, you're getting to worried on this trip." She smiled.

"You don't know the half of it." Rouge smiled leaning back against a tree, her usual calm demeanor finally starting to settle in.

"So how did it go?" Scourge was by Shadow. "Get rid of the scout Shadow?" Shadow looked up his eyes met with Amy's.

"Yeah Amy, what happened?" Rouge asked as she folded her arms.

Amy's eyes closed as she smiled. "I was pretty much useless." She turned away from Shadow's direction to look at Rouge. "Shadow had already taken care of the bot by the time I got there."

"See." Ebony said looking at Rouge from the corner of her eye. "We know when our leader can handle himself."

Amy just nodded. "There wasn't any need for me at all."


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Hi everyone. Sorry it has been so long. I'm really really busy lately. I have an exam and a paper to write for school, so sorry I've been taking so long with the story. I know this chapter is short, but I promise another chapter will follow soon! Thank you for your patients and reviews. :)

**Chapter 13**

"Got anything yet Tails?" Knuckles was standing with his arms folded.

"Not yet, but it shouldn't be too much longer. We are in the middle of nowhere and with very little tech, don't forget." He was staring at the screen of a small laptop, he had mini satellite connected to it. finally the screen crackled and a reading came in.

"This is North Sector, go ahead."

Yes!" Tails did a fist pump of triumph. The others heads shot up as they realized he'd made contact. They all gathered around the fox.

"Hey Silver is that you?" Sonic was leaning over Tails shoulder as he spoke into the mike.

"Yeah, am I coming in alright?"

"Pictures sloppy, but the audio is coming in just fine." Tails answered.

"Where the hell are you guys?" Silver asked. "So much has happened in the past forty eight hours, I couldn't reach Central or West Sector. I assumed that you both had head this way, but I haven't heard anything."

"We are headed that way," Sonic answered. "We had to go pick up West Sector, they are with us and we will be there hopefully in the next week or so. "

"How's West Sector?"

Sonic looked at Espio who was beside him. Sonic didn't feel it was his place to represent West Sector when it's leader was standing before him. Espio leaned over Tail's other shoulder. "We had a run in with a swarm. We're all alive, but some are badly wounded."

"I see." Silver answered. "Well then, get here as soon as you can. We will have things ready when you arrive. It's looking like North Sector will be the last place they hit."

East Sector and South Sector were gathered around a fire talking. Shadow had been quite throughout the conversation, as he often was anyway. He looked away from the fire. His attention was on the one person not in the circle. He could see Amy sitting on the edge of a rock that jutted out over a small stream that they were camped next too.

Rouge noticed Shadow's distance from the group. She turned to him so that only he would hear. "You don't have to worry you know. She's like that sometimes. She goes off to sit alone. I'd guess she's thinking about things. She really is a deep person once you get to know her."

"Who's worried." He said with a snort.

"Well then do me a favor and go check on her." She said letting her face rest in her palm with a smile.

"Fine." He got up walking away from the fire and towards Amy.

"Where's he going?" Fiona noticed him leave.

"I just asked him to check on Amy for me." Rouge said rolling her arm. "I didn't want to put any pressure on my leg." She lied.

"Hey." Shadow said standing next to her.

Amy looked up from her sitting position. "What is it?" She asked.

"Nothing, Rouge wanted me to come check on you."

"I'm alright." She said with a bit of a smile. "I just wanted to sit for a minute."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know when I'll get another chance like this." she rested back on her palms. "The air is warm, I can smell the fading summer scents, hear running water, and even a few insects." There wasn't much life in Central, it was more like a desert. "I just wanted to take in as much in as I can while I can."

Shadow sat down next to her. "Why did you lie earlier."

"What?" Amy blinked at the sudden change of subject.

"Why did you tell everyone that you didn't do anything?" He looked at her. "You could of told them the truth, you had every right and yet you...lied."

"Because." She smiled. "What kind of person would I be if I told the truth simply for my own gratification."

"Huh?" He tilted his head to the side.

She sighed. "You know there are things to care about other than just yourself and your own personal gain." She turned to him. "I lied because I didn't want to hurt you like that. Sure maybe you deserved it, but I don't want to be that kind of person. Telling them the truth would of done nothing, but make things worse between you and me, and embarrassed you in front of everyone else."

"You were still trying to help me." He said looking at her in somewhat of awe.

"Sometimes it's better to tell a lie, when the truth can only hurt." She said with a half smile. "But I won't make a habit of it so next time watch your back."

"There won't be a next time. I only make mistakes once, and never the same one twice."

"Did you know you name is in the dictionary? It's spelled A R R O G A N T."

"And so is yours, P E S T." He said jerking his head to the side.

"What is so special about me?" She asked.

"What?" He jerked back in her direction suddenly caught off guard.

"Why do you reserve all of your angst and cruelty only for me?" She asked closing her eyes and laying back.

His eyes slowly went from left to right in thought. "Because you're the most annoying."

"No." She shook her head. "It's because you know I'm the only one who will take it and still treat you exactly the same no matter what the hell you do." She cracked one eye open. "You just know I won't change."

"That...is true." He said in thought.


	15. Chapter 14

**IMPORTANT****A/N:** Well here's the next chapter, rather informative. Hope you like it all the same though. Don't know when I will have the next chapter, my professor just assigned a new research paper. He's killing me! I'll do my best to get back on this as soon as possible. Sorry for any waiting you have to endure my wonderful readers! Leave me some good reviews thanks!

**Chapter 14**

_**North Sector:**_

"Silver? Silver are you listening?"

"Hum." He looked at Blaze. "Sorry, I just can't help replaying Amy's message in my head." He was still thinking over everything she had told him. "Are the preparations for the other sectors arrival ready?"

"Yes, there's room for them now." She answered. "But a bigger development has come up." Her eyes cast down a bit. "And not a very good."

"What is it?" He asked looking at her with concern.

"Knack Marine are back from their tech expedition...they made some grave discoveries at the core."

The North sector was located closest to the original base of Eggman during the first Armageddon, and the source of the robots power. The five sectors had come to refer to this fortress as the core. Many attempts had been made to infiltrate and destroy the base in hopes of causing a massive malfunction in the bots, but every attempt had failed. The fortress had been too well guarded and no attackers could last very long against the freezing temperatures and the endless hoard of robots.

As the years past the five sectors formed their bases and territories, only North Sector remained close to the core. In the beginning, Silver had forbid anyone from going anywhere near the core, but his little tech, Marine, had a hard time following this rule. She had been sneaking out and watching the core for many months. She gather much useful information, but as time went on, she became careless in covering her tracks during her escapes. It didn't take long after for her secret to be discovered. Silver was angry at first, but after Marine explained to him what had happened to the core he had become very intrigued.

~Flashback~

"You knew it was forbidden to go there." Silver was looking down at Marine. "You know how dangerous it is, and on top of that you went alone, you know better."

"Please," She looked up. "I know I went against your orders, but I had too. We haven't destroyed a Turbo bot in weeks, I had to find away to get more tech equipment, but I got much more."

"What do you mean much more?" He asked.

"Silver, the core is dead." She said looking up at him.

"What?" His eyes widened a bit.

"In the early years there were many attacks made on it right?"

"Correct."

"Well from those stories, it would seem that the core was at full function and impregnable."

"Yes...it was." He said reflecting on one of the attacks he had joined in during the original wars of the core.

"In the past year, since I've been observing it, there has been no activity there at all."

"What?" He said almost unbelieving.

"The power has never once come on and at night not a single light shines from the base." She looked up at him seriously. Every so often, and especially when it came to knowledge, Marine could be wise beyond her years. "I'm telling you that something has happened, this is the perfect opportunity for North Sector to really fill in the blanks about these robots. The core could hold countless secrets, you have to let me continue my work. Otherwise all I've done up till now will have been a waste."

~End Flashback~

Ever since then Marine had been making regular trips to the core learning as much as she could, but she always went with a partner of course. Silver wasn't about to let her go roaming the birth place of the worlds end all on her own. She always gave him a full report, though it usually consisted of nothing but a count of all the valuable tech apparatus she found.

Silver entered the communications room. Marine and Nack were waiting there for him. "Silver, I think you should see this." She had in her hand a small computer chip. She placed it into the large computer that was connected to the jumbo communications screen. "Do you remember how we had come to the conclusion that Eggman abandon this base for a new one somewhere in hiding?"

"Yes it was the only reasonable explanation for his whereabouts." Silver answered as he watched her click buttons and access the information on the chip.

"Well we were wrong, very wrong." She said opening a video file. "This is security footage I was able to pull off of a destroyed security system, a good chunk of it was fried, but I think what I was able to salvage will paint a vivid enough picture."

At first there was nothing but static snow and suddenly it cut to the rolling footage.

"What are you doing!" Eggman was pushed into a corner. "Stop this!" He demanded. "You can't do this to me, I created you!" He yelled as spick bot came closer and closer. "I created you!" He yelled. "I created-" His voice was smothered by the sound of spikes impelling his flesh. The video continued for a few more moments as the carnage worsened and the suddenly it was nothing but electric snow again.

"Eggman's dead." Marine looked at her leader.

"Along with any hopes of ever get any answer from him." Nack put in.

Marine nodded. "He had programmed the robots to attack living beings, and it wasn't long until their scanners determined that he fell into the category quite easily."

"This is very unexpected." Silver said in thought.

"And that's not even the bad news." Nack said folding his arms.

Marine stepped forward. "We original thought all the bots ran from a power supply located inside this base."

"Yes, that's why so many attacks were made on it the first place." Silver agreed.

"Well that was true then, but not now."

"What?" Silver tensed. "How can that be?"

"Eggman installed a failsafe in these things." She said turning back to the computer and pulling up some program drawings of a bot. "He developed them to be able to evolve, become smarter. That was his greatest triumph and failure." She said looking down. "I believe his original intention was that the bots would become better fighters, but instead their evolving focused on the technical aspect of their programming. So instead of trying to become a better opponent the bots developed better ways to keep up their maintenance so to speak." She highlighted a portion the robots gear. "They developed away to power themselves without needing the original power source in the core."

"Let me guess," Silver looked at the drawings. "When they no longer need Eggman as a power source that's when they decided to end him."

"Yes that's right," She nodded. "And without drawing the power from the base, Eggman had no way to shut them off when they attacked him."

"Killed by your own creation, now that's karma." Nack snorted.

"Our question now is what weakness is left in these monsters..." Marine said staring at the blinking screen.


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Well here's chapter 15, I'm sorry, I know I haven't updated in a while. I've got so much on my plate right now, with a new job and a new writing assignment and a 1000 other things. But thanks so much for waiting and reading this chapter. I'll post again ASAP. Leave me a review PLEASE!

**Chapter 15**

"Scourge," Fiona's palm was plastered against his face as she pushed him away.

"Ah come on," It was dark in the night as the group slept. The lime green hedgehog was next to her. "It'll be warmer." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, I have the feeling that's not why you're trying to get so close." She said blushing as she tried to pushed him away, but he was getting closer instead.

"You're right." He said moving his head down so he could see her eyes as he pulled her hand from his face and continued to hold it in his grip. "I want to get close to your body for selfish reasons." He looked at her smoothly. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He said leaning in.

"Scourge, stop it." She said blushing as her eyes shifted away.

"Why? When you like it so much." He said taking her face in his hands and kissing her.

She tried to pull away at first, but as she felt his warm body press up against hers and his arms wrap around her, she fell into him. He separated only for a few moments to let her breath and then kissed her once again. Her hands slipped onto his shoulders as she braced her body against his. Finally he release her from his lips. She was breathing deeply as he smiled down at her. "See, you like it better than you'll admit." He kissed her temple.

"Scourge, no, don't..." She blushed as her eyes closed.

"Let's keep going." He grinned.

Her eyes widened a bit as she felt his hand slid up her skit. "I said no." She growled through a rough whisper as she kneed in the crouch and rolled over to her other side. Scourge gasped holding himself as he rolled over. "And stay over there you pervert." She crossed her arms, _'to__think__I__let__him__go__that__far.'_

_'I__can't__believe__she__let__me__go__that__far.'_ He tried to grin through the pain.

"Honey," Tikal nudged the cat. "How long are you going to be staring at Tails?"

Honey blushed. "I'm not staring." She crossed her arms.

"Yes you are. You've been watching him for the last twenty minutes." Tikal blinked. Honey didn't respond as she was looking in the other direction. "What about Vector?" She asked quietly.

Honey shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"I thought you liked him?" Tikal asked.

"I did..." She said looking over at Vector for a moment as he was talking to Espio. She looked back at Tails. "But...there is something different about Tails." Her tail twitched slightly in thought. "Vector's always been so course and rough. I thought that's all there was that I would never really find or need anything more..."

"Well what changed?" Tikal watched her friend as she stared at the yellow fox.

Honey closed her eyes as she began to speak. "It started two days ago..."

~Flash Back~

The three Central Sector members and all of West sector were well on their way towards the North. "We should stay close." Espio said talking with Sonic. "If the groups get to far apart things could get rough if a swarm shows up."

"I agree." Sonic nodded.

"We will be going through that small forest up ahead, it's small but dense for the next couple of miles. It's one of the few that still grows so lush." Espio was looking on a small mapping device that Tails had brought along.

"Well let's get a move on, the faster we're through it the closer we'll be to North Sector." Sonic pushed forward without hesitation.

Knuckles took his place by Esipo as the chameleon began to move forward as well. "Sorry Espio, he's a little distracted as it were." Knuckles said as his eyes shifted to the blue hedgehog.

"It's alright." Espio nodded. "If I were in his position, I'd be a bit preoccupied myself." He looked at Mina, who smiled at him when she noticed his glance.

The group was now well into the forest. They stayed closed together but didn't really pair off. They were all in awe of the forest. Honey was staring at a bird singing on a tree branch, she was so distracted by it that she tripped over a buckled up tree root. Vector was close behind her and because of her he fell as well. He sat up rubbing his head. "Why weren't you watching where you were going?" He said gruffly. He was always like that, grumpy, and growling, but it was just his nature.

Honey shrunk a bit at first, but then barked back. "Why weren't you watching where you were going you big oaf!" She jerked her eyes away.

"The worlds going to pieces and you're looking at birds instead of the ground in front of you!" He snapped bitterly in response to her insult.

Honey's brow scrunched up. She was tired and hungry and this was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now. She was usually quite tough, but for some reason she felt herself on the verge of tears, from the crocks hurtful words.

"Hey leave her alone." Honey looked up to see her defender. Tails was standing by her side. "It's not like she intentionally fell."

"Hey mind your own business fox." Vector growled.

"I make it my business when someone tears a girl apart over an obviously innocent mistake." He said twitching his two ringed tails. He saw Vector getting up and he took a firm stand by Honey his eyes narrowed as Vector took a step forward.

"Vector!" Espio's voice sounded. He and Sonic were standing behind them along with the other on lookers "That's enough." He walked up to the three. "This is no time to pick a fight with your comrades. Now move." He motioned for Vector to come with him. "This isn't behavior befitting a Second."

Sonic approached Tails from behind. "Good job little buddy." He said nodding approvingly before moving onto the front.

After Vector and Espio were well ahead Tails turned to Honey who was still looking up at him in awe. "Here let me help you up." He said offering her his hand. She reached out and took it. "I hope you didn't mind me stepping in. I know you don't need me to fight your battles for you, but he just really got under my skin." He looked at her hands.

"What are you doing?" She said as she watched him.

"I'm not just a tech, I'm a medic too." He said gently caressing her hands. "These scrapes will heal up faster if I put some aloe on them." He pulled his satchel around to his front and pulled out a fat leaf. He ripped it slightly and squeezed out some soothing gel onto her burning scrapes. "How's that?" He asked looking into her face.

She blushed a bit as she stared into his blue eyes. "Better...it feels a lot better than before." She didn't know if she was talking about her hands or about her feelings.

"Why don't you stay beside me for a bit, and I'll keep an eye on those, wouldn't want them getting infected." He said putting the leaf away carefully.

"Okay." She nodded taking to his side as they walked. She was so busy staring at him that she almost tripped again, but Tails took her arm before she could.

"Woe," He smiled. "I don't have that mean aloe leaves left." Honey blushed embarrassed at her clumsiness. He gently took her hand so as not to irritate her scrapes and began to walk again. "Don't worry I'll watch out for you until you get your bearings about you again." He smiled.

"What were you thinking?" Espio asked with his arms folded as he walked with Vector in the front of the group. Vector remained silent. "Honestly if you like her then that's no way to convey your feelings."

"Who said I liked her?" Vecotor growled under his breath.

"Well if you have no consideration for you own feelings, then consider what you're doing to the rest of the team." He looked back at Honey and he recognize the twinkle in her eyes as she stared at the central tech. "You just made sure that there would be no guarantee of our sector coming home as a whole, even if we all live through this."

~End Flashback~

"He is really nice." Tikal agreed as she looked at the two tailed.

"I never thought I could be swayed by something like kindness, let alone romanced by it." She blushed. "I wish he would look at me like that again." She sighed thinking of his eyes as he had watched her carefully in the forest and she felt his tender touch on her skin form when he inspected her wounds.

"I've never heard you talk like this."

"I've never felt like this Tikal." She smiled looking at Tails.

~Evening Finally Fell~

Tails had pulled out a cube which when turned correctly transformed into the X-tornado. It was an enhancement that Tails had made for easy transport of the jet when flying it was not an option. He had to be very careful of it as fuel was hard to come by. He had pulled out some provision for the others to eat before sleeping and was now sitting in the cockpit with his laptop. "hm..." He grunted as he stared at the screen. The others were curled up around fires asleep as he worked.

"Having trouble?" Honey popped up over the edge of the cockpit.

Tails was startled and jumped a bit. "H-Honey." He sighed after catching his breath and sitting up straight. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep. What are you doing?" She said looking at him. Her tail twitched happily.

"I was chatting with Marine." He said looking back at the computer screen.

Her brow scrunched up in jealousy. "What about?"

Tails eyes shifted to her for a moment and then back to the screen. He thought about the conversation. The two had been discussing Marine's recent discovery about the core. She had told him not to mention it to anyone else, she was afraid that if the others knew then they might lose hope and Amy's entire attempt to save them all would be lost. "Just talking, we share a lot of tech and gear ideas. She's really smart."

Honey jumped into the seat beside him. He was caught off guard as he looked at her blushing a bit. "You know she's not the only tech who knows a thing or two about gear." She leaned against his shoulder. "Ever wonder why every member of West Sector wears these?" She asked as she held her wrist in front of his eyes. "They're not just a fashion statement you know."

"Hum," He blinked staring at the band. "Now that you mention it, you do all wear a pair of those."

"Yes we do." She took one off. "Move the computer."

"Why?"

"Just do it." She said waiting impatiently.

He closed the computer and moved it. "Okay what now?" She handed him the band and then took off the other. She dropped it, but when she did, it jerked through the air and clanged against the one in Tails hand. Tails was in ah. "Wow those are really strong magnets." He looked at the bands. "How do these not affect your movements?" The magnets were very strong, and he couldn't imagine wearing them, his wrists would be pulled together in moments.

"We work with them. When each member gets their first pair they have to stay at base and work with them until they can function normally without any side effects."

"Is that their purpose? Building upper arm strength?" He asked looking at her as he handed the bands back.

"No. The use is not so primitive. You know why I asked you to put your laptop away right?"

"Of course," He nodded. "Those magnets would of fried it."

"Same affect on a drill bot." She said turning to him with a grin.

"What?" He said with his interests peaked.

"West Sector specializes in close combat, and this is why." She said tapping the band. "We get in close and slam these enough times against the bots and it screws up their interfaces."

"Messing that up would make almost too easy to take down a drill bot." Drill bots main dependence were on their interfaces, which gave them direction and perception.

"It was something we really needed." She looked at her feet. "We fight mostly drill bots and those things are hard to get your hands on if you know what I mean."

Tails nodded. "I've heard they have a bad habit of drilling underground and making traps for their enemies."

"They also can pop out of nowhere or disappear to nowhere right before your eyes. Having these bracelets allows us to work up fast reflexes so when the cowards do show their faces, a couple hits from these and they are finished."

"Your skills must be amazing." Tails said looking up at the sky.

"They are." She smiled moving a bit closer to him. "Thanks for noticing."

"Y-You know if you're tired you can go to sleep." Tails said looking to the left. "Don't stay up on my account."

"Don't worry about me." She said resting against him.

The evening continued on and Tails still couldn't get rid of her. The two ended up falling asleep in the cockpit.

Knuckles and Espio were the first to wake. "Hum," Knuckles looked at the plane. "Tails should of put that away last night." He and Espio jumped up onto the wings. They looked into the cockpit and saw the fox and cat. Espio looked and Knuckles who returned the same look. Knuckles turned slightly. "This is...well..."

"I was afraid something like this was coming." Esipo sighed jumping off the wing. Knuckles eyes followed him for a moment before jumping down as well.


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Alright hi all my wonderful readers. Here's the next chapter, I know it's short sorry! I'm SOOO busy lately. Also I feel I should issue a **WARNING**, my next chapter is going to be a bit graphic so prepare yourself. I haven't tried graphic before so just don't be surprised. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter! PLEASE leave me a REVIEW. :)

**Chapter 16**

"What's with Scourge?" Void whispered to Ebony as he followed her in the back of the group.

"I think he tried some 'dirty' tricks on that fox last night." She said as her eyes leapt over to Fiona. "And I don't think they worked."

"Ebony," His head was tilted slightly. "Why does Scourge so tirelessly pursue that fox?" He looked at Ebony. "He usually would of moved on to another girl after so many rejections, and even now she still seems to have no interest in him, so then why does he still chase her?"

"I noticed that as well." She smiled as she watched the lime green hedgehog. He was standing to the left side watching Fiona who walked on the opposite side just ahead of him. He was smiling, and it wasn't the smile she was use to seeing. This wasn't just some toothy flesh-hungry wolf grin. It looked in-depth as if something other than Fiona's appearance made him smile. "I think she is different to him. Perhaps he sees more in her than he's seen in all other women put together." She said hopefully.

The group had been traveling for quite some time and finally had come to rest for a few moments. Shadow was sitting on top a high rock looking down at the group. He stared as he watched medics chatting with leaders, and Intel's talking to seconds, and once more almost no one was talking to someone from their own sector. "When did these two groups become only one..." He said quietly as he sat watching them all.

"You okay up there?" Shadow heard Amy's voice and looked down. She was standing at the base of the rock looking up. She took a few steps back and then ran straight up the face of the rock, she easily lost her momentum when she reached the edge at the top.

Shadow's eyes widen. "You idiot!" He grabbed her wrist pulling her onto him as he went backwards. He sighed looking up at her face, which was right in front of his as he lay on his back. "What the hell were you doing?" He grunted. "What was your plan if I hadn't grabbed you?" He demanded.

"I didn't have one." She said propping up her elbow on his chest and then resting her cheek in her palm. "I trusted you would catch me." She said looking down.

"That was a stupid thing to do." He said as he lay there with his arms by his side still looking up at her. "What if I hadn't?"

"Sometimes you can't think about that." She said gently. "Sometimes you just have to trust people and believe that they will do the right thing." She leaned down so they were eye to eye. "Whether they want to or not." Shadow's eyes were shifting slightly as they were locked in a gaze with hers.

"So you trust me, is that it?" He asked not breaking their gaze.

"Not a chance." She smiled before sitting up.

He grinned getting up as well. He had come to enjoy her dry humor, he had convinced himself that it was one of the few things that made their relationship bearable. Although that thought had long past, he didn't even realize that he was smiling as he sat with her. "Then how'd you know I'd catch you?"

"What's life without a little risk?" She said looking down at the others. "This doesn't even look like South and East sector anymore." She smiled.

"That's going to make it all the harder when the time comes to part." He said as his eyes closed slightly.

Amy's demeanor wilted a bit. "Maybe...Maybe we won't split up." She'd grown to love them all. They'd been through a lot together. She would miss everyone of them when they parted.

"You won't miss East Sector." He said looking at her.

"What?" She turned him quickly, not wanting him to think he could just tell her how she would and wouldn't feel.

"Have you forgotten our agreement." He asked. "You're going to become part of East Sector."

She was about to contest him when suddenly she realized what he had just said. "Wait...become, part of East Sector?"

"Assuming we all live through this." He said looking forward.

"But," She was still looking at him. "Before you said slave." His words had made a big difference to her. Shadow's brow arched quickly as he suddenly realized what he had said. He had just said that she would become a member of the East Sector, which was a big change from being their slave. "Shadow?" She leaned in closer as if to say more, but she never got the chance.

"RUN!" The two looked down to see the others scrambling. They had all been to relaxed , no one ever noticed the approach.

Shadow and Amy jumped down quickly. Amy grabbed Jet by the arm. "Jet we can't out run them!" She shook her head. "They're right on top of us! We have to fight!"

Wave was by Jets side. "Jet she's right, we can't run this time."

"There's no time for debate!" Ebony yelled as she and the others came together. "If we fight we live!"

With no other option the group was thrown into battle.

The attackers were a large group of spike bots. "Fight back to back!" Shadow yelled. Spike bots were the East sectors enemies.

Jet and Wave pressed against each other. "I got your back." Jet promised.

"As always." The pink swallow agreed prepping for battle.

"Hey all of you!" Ash yelled. "Try to pair up a South with a East we will know how to fight these things. We'll all stand a better chance that way!"

"He's right." Storm agreed going back to back with Void.

Scourge pressed up against Fiona's backside. "Don't worry beautiful, I won't let any of these bots lay hand on that perfect body of yours."

"Shut up and fight." Fiona blushed.

Ash, Ray and Rouge were pressing their backs into a triangle as they each faced a bot. "I hope you know how to fight these things." Rouge said digging her boot into the dirt ready to leap at the bot.

"Just do as I do and you'll both be fine." He answered. Ray was obviously nervous. He wasn't really a fighter.

The fray went into a full swing of chaos as each pair landed attacks to the Spike bots. Each East member taught their partner that the weak point of these robots was the head. Damaging it was the best possible way to attack. Thunder clouds crackled overhead as if the battle wasn't enough, the weather would turn on them as well it seemed.

Shadow jumped into the air just above a robot. His hands were clamped together to make one large fist and he slammed it into the bots head causing it to malfunction. He back up against Amy. "Like I said go for the head."

"Right!" she jumped upward and slammed down on the head of Spike bot with her hammer. The bot sparked with electrical error for a few moments before exploding. She landed on her feet and when she looked up she saw another bot right before her. She stared into its cold lifeless amber eyes, and suddenly all she could see was, Cream's face as she fell to her death, in the bots amber eyes. A crack of thunder and lightning rang out. "NO!" Amy swung at the bot almost mindlessly. The bot dodged and began to back away, it's scanners indicated that the chances of winning with so many of its comrades eliminated was less than three percent.

"Amy no we have to stay back to back!" Shadow yelled.

Amy either didn't hear him or was ignoring him. She threw her hammer and it became lodge in the robots back. It crackled with error but continued on fleeing into some woods. "No!" Amy ran after it, pulling out her spare hammer. Rain began falling from the sky as she followed.

"Amy No! Wait!" Shadow ran after her.


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Well here's the next chapter. I know I know, my chapters are short lately. I'm sorry, but I'd rather have short chapters than take away from the quality of the story. I hope you'll still read my stories after this.

**Chapter 17**

Amy had never ran so fast in all her life, ignoring how drenched she was and the sound of the angry storm above. She followed the broken branches and other signs of the bots path. She finally saw it coming into view. "Face me!" She said swinging her hammer as hard as she could. It dodged suddenly shooting a spike at her. she bent to the side missing the spike by only a few inches. She stood full length again and locked back on to the bot. It was trying to power up just enough to hover over a small river. It was beginning to move. "I'll kill you! Just like you killed Cream!" Amy jumped onto the bot with her hammer raised ready for it to come down onto its head.

"Amy stop!" Shadow saw that the bot was halfway over the small stream. He jumped trying to reach Amy in time.

"Die you monster!" She slammed her hammer down on its head and the bot dropped into the water. The electrical sparks shot from the bot and Amy was caught up in the field of electricity as its horrible numbing currant raced through the water. She screamed out in pain as the electricity attacked her entire body.

Shadow landed on the bot feeling the sting of the shock course though his flesh. He fought it as hard as he could as he picked up Amy. He let out a yell as he forced himself to jump back to the bank. The bot continued to spark for a few more moments and then suddenly it exploded. Shadow looked at Amy, both their bodies were pouring steam from being shocked. "Come on, wake up!" He said shaking her. "Amy come on!" She didn't open her eyes. He leaned down and listened to her heart. It was hard to tell because his was pounding so fast, but to his reprieve it was still beating. "Why do you keep doing this to me..." He sighed with relief as he picked her up in his arms, he grunted with pain as he did so.

He looked around. He had honestly lost his bearings. He wasn't sure if Amy knew it or not, but she had reached hyper speed when she chased the bot. He had to turn up his speed to keep up with her. During the chase he had lost track of which way they were going. He began walking though it was painful. He didn't have to go far. He found himself near the entrance of a small cave. It looked as though at some point the small stream had been a mighty river and this had once been an underwater cave. He moved into it quickly. The two of them were drenched and the sun had already sunk. It would be full night soon and the temperature would only go down.

Shadow had laid Amy in the cave and then quickly collected a herb that would sooth burns. He had picked up a thing or two when listening to Cosmic and Ebony's conversations. He first applied the juices of the plant to Amy's burns and then to his own. He looked at her as he checked her wounds again. His hands could feel how cold her body was. Her temperature was dropping. "There's nothing dry to use to start a fire, and you're covered in wet clothes." He sighed as he ran one hand through his quills. "I'm sorry, but you can't stay like this." He said as he began taking off her armor and then her clothes. "What am I saying." He said with a grunt. "Sorry isn't my style. " He looked at her as he began to remove her top. "And yet you get it out of me with ease." He looked down her wet an naked body. "Not bad." He blushed just a bit. He began to remove his own clothes. "I'll make sure you stay warm tonight." He said holding her from behind. "I'm saving your life, but I'm sure when you wake up, you will want to kill me in gratitude." He grinned as he thought of her reaction to his methods.

The rain continued to fall as Amy and Shadow lay inside the cave. Both were sleeping. Shadow had done well to keep Amy from becoming fatally sick, however he didn't stop her from getting a mild fever. Shadow's eyes were in sleep, he didn't pay any attention to Amy as she moved a bit in his grip. The pink hedgehog twisted and turned. When her eyes opened her vision was a bit blurry and her mind was fuzzy. She was only half functioning, and was intoxicated with fever. "Um..." Shadow opened one eye looking down at her.

Amy felt someone holding her. "Shadow?" She said quietly. Her half conscious mind took their current embrace as a romantic gesture. "I thought you hated me." She said looking up at him her face closer to his.

He suddenly blushed. "I do hate you." He said and then grunted looking to the side a bit.

"You must like me." She said her voice still in the same tone and her mind and body still being controlled by her subconscious.

"What?" He said looking down at her his whole face red as he saw her half opened green eyes staring up at him.

"I know when a guy is mean to a girl, it's because he likes her, right." She said moving a bit closer. "That's why you're so mean to me all the time isn't it?"

"W-What the hell are you talking about?" He said gently his red cheeks still blushing as his eyes glanced to the side.

"Why else would you be holding me like this?" She asked reaching up and putting he hands on his cheeks.

He looked at her. "Because you have a fever, that's why you're acting like this." He said staring into her eyes. He was having a hard time fighting with his physical desires. Amy's cheeks were still flushed with fever as she leaned in and kissed him. Shadow rolled her over gently so he was looking down at her. He seem to hesitate as he kissed her in return. Amy wrapped her arms around his neck. It felt like an open invitation and Shadow was always looking for something to benefit him.

"Um," She made a little noise as she kissed him. Shadow ran one hand down her body caressing her and the other supporting him as he still leaned over her. Amy blushed as they parted every few seconds for a bit of air. "Uh Shadow," She said his name in a soft erotic voice.

Amy pushed him over gently and he went rather willingly as she lay on top of him. She placed her palms on the ground by his head and leaned in kissing. She continued until she realized how aroused he was. She blushed looking to the side embarrassed. "I can feel it against my leg..." She whispered. Shadow blushed and then sat up on his knees. He pulled her up and faced her away from him. "A-Ah," She made gasping sounds as she felt one of his hands, from behind, touching between her legs and the other groping her chest. "S-Shadow, n-n-oo." She blushed as he continued to excite her body.

Shadow allowed his eyes to remain slightly open as he rested his chin on her shoulder. His cheek brushed her jaw line as he listen to her. He felt her warm body growing hotter in his grip. He kissed her shoulder and kissed at her hear, never had he drank in something so sweet. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. The way she called out his name and begged for mercy, each cry only made him want her to say it again and again. "Louder." He whispered smoothly as he pushed his middle finger upward, making her gasp and moan. "Say it again Amy." He whispered.

"S-Shadow! Shadow!" She shook her head as he pulled her into his lap.

"Who makes you feel good?" He asked in a sensual tone as both his hands moved to play with her upper body.

"A-Ah S-Shadow Shadow!" She said as her head jerked from side to side. "Ah don't be so mean." She said blushing as she felt her body tingle.

"I think you like that I mean." He said biting her ear. "I think it's making you hot." He said as one hand ran down her body. He caressed her inner theigh for a moment before reaching for his orignal destination. "You're body's being pretty honest." He licked his fingers. "Admit it."

"No." She blushed looking away.

"I'll make you then." He began gently pleasure her with his fingers again.

He went on like this for several minutes as she gasped and continued to protest sweetly, though her body said otherwise as it reacted lustfully to his every touch. Finally he flipped her and laid her on the floor of the cave. He was breathing a little heavier as he positioned himself over her. "S-Shadow no." She said putting her hands against his shoulders. He took her wrists pinning them by her head. He moved again ready to feed his animalistic desires.

He was about to enter, "Please..." He paused, and looked up. Those deep green eyes were brimmed with tears. "Can't you at least look at me..." She said as her head rested to the side her eyes trembling. "Y-You didn't even say that you loved me...so...can't you at least look at me..."

His eyes were half closed. In this state, looking down at her as she was now fragile and vulnerable, Shadow could see how gentle and caring Amy really was. Underneath it all she was a woman just like any other, she wanted to be loved, though she would never admit it. She always put on a very strong front, he had recognized her true nature even before now. He wanted desperately to continue, but how could he. He sighed sitting up off of her.

"What's wrong?" She said blushing as she clasped her arms around her upper body. "Don't you want me?"

"Yes," He admitted. "But not like this." He said as he was putting his pants on. "I want your full consent not just your subconscious desires." He realized that was what he had been planning to act on, and that it was also the only thing in Amy that had let him go as far as he did. For the first time, Shadow realized he wanted something more than that, as the image of Amy's tear brimmed eyes passed across his mind. "I refuse to become something you regret." He leaned down kissing her, he parted gently. "I won't touch you like this again, not until you're hopelessly in love with me."


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Well everyone here's another chapter. Sorry I'm taking so long. So much junk has come up and happened lately. I hope I can finish it soon. But anyways happy Thanksgiving and hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter 18**

"Any luck?" Wave flew in next to Rouge.

"Not yet." Rouge sighed. "All the rain washed away any signs they might of left behind."

"Why did Amy chase after that bot anyway?" Wave said with a huff of annoyance.

"Amy has history with them." Rouge's eyes closed slightly.

"We all have history-"

"Did you watch a bot murder your best friend?" Rouge asked looking at Wave.

Wave's head lifted. "Who..?" She asked softly.

"Cream." Rouge's eyes stared down at the ground passing by beneath them. "I wasn't there, but I knew her..." Her eyes were sad with memories. "She was slaughtered...she was about as much of a threat as a lamb is to a wolf..."

"That's the worst thing about these monsters." Wave looked ahead. "They don't differentiate between threatening and harmless. To them it doesn't matter whether you're solider or an infant. If you breath, if you have pulse, you're a target." Wave looked back at Rouge. "Have you considered the worst?"

"Not once." She said without hesitation. "Shadow and Amy wouldn't roll over that easily, especially not so early in this war."

"You ready?" Shadow looked over his shoulder.

"Yeah." Amy had just finished pulling her armor back on. She didn't quite make eye contact with him. Though she had been drunk with fever the night before, but she could remember vividly what had taken place between them. She got up and followed him out of the cave.

The two had started walking and had been on the move for about half an hour. Shadow's eyes shifted to Amy. "You will need to be able to act yourself when we return to the others." He said looking forward again. "This is between you and me."

"The others don't need to know...right?" Amy said with quoting in her voice. "If they did, then they might lose sight of what's really important right now..."

Shadow looked at her. "Yes." He leaned in closer so his lips were by her ear. "Don't worry, things will be fine. You know that."

She blushed a bit. "You're right." She looked at him. "Like they were before. " She moved away. "Professional."

He just nodded and moved forward. "Yes. I'll be East Leader and you'll be Central Second just like before." He could see and hear the fear in her voice. She'd never admit to it, but she obviously couldn't handle thinking about him as anything more than what they had been before last night.

Amy took in a breath and cleared her mind. She knew that this was not the time to be thinking of her own emotions. There was an entire world depending on her and her half thought through plan. She couldn't turn her back on them for her own emotions, there was simply too much at stake.

"Amy look." She suddenly came out of her personal thoughts and looked up. Shadow had spotted Rouge and Wave flying just a mile ahead of them. "Come on Amy, let's go." She nodded and followed him.

"Hey their back!" Scourge yelled as the four were returning to the camp space. The rest of East and South Sector gathered around them.

"What the hell happened to you too?" Ebony was the first to demand an answer. "Disappearing like that isn't like you Shadow." She tilted her head to the side. Her anger was worry and she wasn't nothing short of concerned. She was the most loyal of his followers. "I know you're fast why didn't you come back right away?"

"Yeah Shadow," Ash leered as he folded his arms. "Where the hell were you? Leader." Ebony jerked an angry scowl towards Ash as she had not intended to sound accusing nor open an accusation against Shadow.

Shadow didn't flinch or even blink at Ash's tone or words. He seemed about to answer, but Amy beat him to the punch. "It wasn't his fault." She stepped forward. "I let my anger get the better of my judgment and ran after that bot. I chased it to a river." She continued to look at them all without a hint of embarrassment showing through. "If it wasn't for him I would of been fried." She looked at Shadow for one moment. "He saved me, end of story." She turned and began to walk away.

"Amy," Rouge turned to follow her. "Where are you-"

"To the North, where else."

The others looked at each other for a few moments, and then Jet nodded and began to follow Amy, and the rest of South sector followed as well. The same happened as Shadow took up behind her as well with his sector following him as well.

~~North Sector~~

"Do you think they will all make it here?" Blaze asked as she stood with one hand on her hip. "In one piece that is."

"Of course." Marine nodded as she sat on a rock. The two were standing a few miles out from the base watching for any signs of the approaching sectors. "There is still a war to be fought. They will all answer the call."

"You know sometimes you sound like such a grown up."

"I'm seventeen." She said standing up. "And in this world that's old enough to be an adult."

Blaze was more of the stand alone protective type. She saw the younger members as children that need to be protected. She never said such things, but she felt them often, especially towards Marine because she was the youngest of all the sectors.

"Hey Blaze look!" Marine jumped onto the rock. "It's the X Tornado!" In the distant one could see the jet coming towards them. "Central and West Sector made it."

Blaze's eyes were a little sullen. "Not all of Central Marine." She knew that only three Central members would be on that plane.

"Silver, they've arrived." Nack was standing at the door of their central controls station.

"Which ones?"

"Central and West Sectors sir." Nack nodded.

"Sir?" Silver looked over his shoulder. "All this must really way heavy on your mind Nack, if you're calling me sir." He laughed slightly.

Nack just sighed a bit realizing what he'd said. Silver knew that the weasel respected him, but Nack had a severe respect for himself as well and very rarely ever addressed Silver as sir, even though he was the leader. "It won't happen again." Nack said with annoyed yet calm grin.

"There's no second like you Nack, that's for certain." Silver walked toward the door.

Nack took up at his side. "Naturally."

The two walked into the lower hanger where the other North Sector members were greeting the new arrivals.

Blaze was overseeing the them for wounds. She was looking at Honey's eye which had been badly wounded, but to her surprise it looked quite well. "I'm impressed. Your eye is still perfectly in tacked can you still see out of it as well?"

"Perfectly." Honey smiled as she looked at Tails and Tikal. "I had to amazing medics taking care of me."

"How's your Tail?" Julie was looking at her Vectors wounded Tail.

"It's not so bad." he said twitching at the pain.

"He probably needs some fresh antiseptic and bandages." Tails said with his arms crossed. "Tikal sowed it up." The crock just growled under his breath and averted his eyes from the fox.

"Tails." Marine approached him. "You're looking good." Honey crossed her arms as she watched Marine and Tails talk.

"Thanks Marine," He smiled with his hand behind his head. "I'm surprised after all that's happened lately I've been lacking in the sleep department."

"Tails." Honey approached. "My eye hurts, could you take a look at it please?" She said taking his arm.

"Oh sure Honey." Tails blinked as she drug him away.

"Silver have you heard anything from the others?" Sonic asked as he approached the North leader with Knuckles at his side.

"No, I'm sorry Sonic." Silver also noticed the look in Knuckles eyes as he stood by his Leader. He kept eye contact with Sonic, but his words were for someone else's unspoken question. "We haven't heard from either of them."

"Surely they can't be that far out." Espio said as he joined the leaders circle. "Honestly I think they should of gotten here first."

"It is possible that they ran into some kinda of trouble." Nack said as he stood by Silver.

Sonics eyes widened just a bit. Espio was the first to speak as he realized what was running through Sonic's head. "They probably just need a little more time, I didn't consider that they are moving a much larger group and probably mostly on foot."

"Don't worry." Silver said standing tall. "They will be here, have some faith. We're talking about two sectors. That combined power has got to be a little more than formidable."


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N:** Hello guys, so I'm really sorry it's taking me so long to update, and yes I know this chapter is short. But it would seem that I am going back to school, taking piano lessons, and working a full time 40 hours a week. But I'm going to try and finish this story! I have some others I want to write too, so I'm going to try to make time. Hope I don't lose my mo Jo! Thanks for waiting and thanks for reading!

**Chapter 19**

"We're almost there." Jet said as he looked back over his shoulder. All his flying team members were in the air. Storm was hanging onto Cosmic and Ray was carrying Fiona. Void was carrying Ebony and they were the only two Eastern members in the sky, the rest were running along down below, Shadow, Scourge, and Ash kept up with the flock above no problem. Although no one complained, it was very cold and all were suffering the northern winds.

Rouge and Amy had flown ahead about a mile or two. Rouge looked down at the pink hedgehog she was holding onto. "So are you gonna tell me what happened between you and Shadow?"

Amy's eyes didn't shift from the horizon. "Nothing happened."

"Stick to the truth you never could lie very well." Rouge said with a sigh, and didn't press the issue any further.

"Rouge look," Amy's voice changed tones as the Northern base came into view.

"I don't believe it..." Rouge smiled. "We made it."

"Uhhh Honey this is booorrrinnng!" Charmey was buzzing around her. "I'm bored!"

"Err," She suddenly grabbed him from the air pushed him down and plopped on top of him sitting with her legs crossed and her arms folded. "Well maybe you'll find being a chair more entertaining."

"AH get off Honey, this isn't fair!" He kicked his arms and legs.

Honey looked up at the horizon. "I told you we are suppose to be look outs. We're watching for-"

"I know I know." Charemy was going to argue back, but suddenly he realized that Honey had stopped midsentence. He looked up at his tormenter and saw her staring blankly at the horizon. "What is it?" He looked out and then his jaw dropped slightly as well, before he burst out. "They made it!"

Honey jumped up. "Go tell the others quickly." She said as she jumped down from the large block of ice they were sitting on, and began running towards the group she saw approaching.

Sonic, Espio, and Silver were standing at a large screen talking. Tails was sitting with Knuckles a few yards away. "What do you think they will do Knuckles."

"Who knows." The echidna wasn't paying much attention.

"Knuckles," Tails leaned over so he could see his gaze.

"Sorry Tails." He looked up to meet Tails face to face. "My mind was elsewhere."

The young fox nodded. "I'm worried about them too."

The other members of the North and West Sectors were somewhat mingling amongst themselves not many words passing through them as each of them wondered what would happen next.

The quietness was suddenly broken as Charemy busted into the room. "They're here, They're here, They're here! South Sector and East Sector they've come!"

All looked up and at each other, accept for one, Sonic had already ran out the door. The others followed suit quickly. Silver motioned with a commanding voice. "Tails, Blaze, and Tikal get your med kits, there could be wounded."

"The others will be here in a moment." Honey had met the group about a quarter of a mile out. "You all seem to be in okay shape." She was looking each of them over to see if there were any blatant wounds.

"Amy!" She found herself suddenly incased in Sonics arms. He rested his head on top of hers. "You're late...I was...starting to worry..."

She couldn't believe it, but she was returning his embrace. She didn't think it was possible, but she missed Sonic, and she'd missed the rest of her family more than she realized. Only now, in the comfort of a pair of familiar arms, did she realize how much she wanted nothing more than the familiar comfort of home.

Shadow's brow arched ever so slightly as he watched Sonic hug Amy and her returning it, only a single person noticed Shadows reaction.

"You've all made it." Silver and the others had appeared on the scene. The medics quickly began looking each of them over.

"Wait," Espio moved to stand beside Silver. "Before we begin pleasantries and the medics begin their inspections why don't we go in, they've traveled a long way and have been exposed to this weather long enough."

Silver nodded in agreement. "You are right my friend, we North Sector members are a custom to the cold and forget its effects. Please, come inside." He said as he along with the other members of the North, West, and Central began helping the newly arrived members into the base.

Each began moving to the base, Rouge was at the end of the line standing as she looked passed everyone else her eyes were locked in a gaze with a certain red echidna that was standing a few yards away unblinkingly staring at her.

"Hey what about them?" Charmey was looking at them.

"Come Charemy." Tikal had his hand gently. "Don't worry they've just missed each other."

Rouge was the first to break the silence, "So you beat us here." She said putting a hand on her hip. She was trying to be cool and play their game. Knuckles approached without words, he was face to face with her. Rouge wanted to embrace him, but she kept to their game as always. "Guess you're not as slow as I thought." She said as her eyes shifted from side to side looking in his. Knuckles, without a moment of hesitation, took her into his arms and kissed her deeply. She put her arms around him as well. He picked her up kissing her still as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Finally he parted his forehead resting against hers. "God I missed you." He said as he closed his eyes. "I guess I lose the game." He let her stand on her own two feet now, but their closeness to each other did not diminish in the slightest.

She kissed down his forehead and to his lips. "No, I did." She said staring into his violet eyes. "You were far more amazing." She kissed him intensely and with all her longing for him. "Knuckles..."

He looked into those two crystal blue eyes. "Yes?"

"I love you." Her grip around his neck increased as her lips were close to his.

He could feel her warm breath on his skin. "I love you too." He said kissing her tenderly and holding her body closer to his.

She smiled. "You know this is gonna make the game harder to play when we reunite from now on."

"No it's not." He said resting his head atop hers as she nestled into his body and warmth. "Because we'll never have to play it again." He held her close. "I'm never parting with you again."


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Well here's another chapter, hope guys don't mind all the romance, but I realized that if I want all my odds and ends to get in here before I tie of the story I gotta get started lol. So I hope you don't mind the drama, just until the action gets back. Hope you enjoy the new chapter and I'll do all I can to update again soon. :D

**Chapter 20**

The North and West Sectors were all joined in a messy circle as they talked amongst the newest arrivals. Scourge had no problem soaking up the spotlight with his version of what their journey had been like.

"And then what happened!" Charmy was looking at Scourge excitedly.

"Then I knocked the second robot out single handedly." He said making a muscle with his right arm. "If it wasn't for me we would of been dead."

Fiona rolled her eyes. "You mean like we are about to be from this story."

"Ah come on baby," He sat down next to her. "Don't you like listening to my epic retelling?"

"I'm not your baby." She punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow, you have the worst way of showing your affections." He said rubbing his sore shoulder as he scooted in closer to her. "But that's what I like about you, you're saucy." He leaned in with a hunky smile.

"Scourge, I'm warning you." She said making a fist as she got up and walked away from the circle. She made her way to hall.

He jumped up to follow her leaving his tale unfinished. "Come on," He took her hand. "Don't be like that." He took her hand.

"Scourge!" She went to hit him, but he caught her fist in his hand and used it to twirl her into his arms and then gently pressed her up against the wall.

His face was close to hers. "Let me kiss you." He said with crest of his nose brushing against her cheek.

"No." She said softly her face turned to press up against the wall.

"That didn't sound heartfelt." He said kissing her jaw line. "Come on Fiona. Just one kiss." he took her chin very gently in his fingers and turned her face softly to his own. "Kiss me, and if you don't like it then I'll never ask again." He said with his eyes searching hers.

She blushed as she met his stare. Underneath all the overconfidence and ego, Scourge was a very smooth operator when he wasn't trying. His words were natural and less boasting. In all truth, when he was like this it made Fiona weak in the knees. Her breath quivered as he leaned in and kissed her. It was smooth and soft, not like she had expected. It was gentle and flowed with serene passion that seemed to melt the ice around Fiona. When he parted he looked down at her. "Shame," He smiled. "Tonguing me on a first kiss."

Her face turned stark red and she suddenly pushed backwards causing him to land square on his ass. "Uh you are such a pervert." She stomped off.

He just sat there smiling. "Still playing hard to get?"

Amy was sitting on a stool, in the kitchen bunk which was rather large. With North sector being so close to the core, they had access to all kinds of machinery and metal, so it was no surprise that their base outshined even that of the East.

Sonic was sitting beside her. It had been silence between the two for a while, when finally he broke it. "You've really grown..." He said at first. "All the things I've heard...things that you've done."

"Grown?" She looked up at him.

"Maybe not..." He met her eyes slightly. "Maybe you were all along and...I just couldn't see it." He rested against his folded arms that were on the edge of the table.

"Sonic..." Her eyes were gentle, but not quite soft. She still hadn't totally let her guard down with him yet. She felt as soon as she did he would turn back into her over controlling leader she knew all too well.

"Amy..." He turned to her moving closer. "Amy nothing's changed, my feelings for you-"

"Sonic." Nack appeared in the doorway. "Silver wants to see you, he and Espio are having a briefing for our counter offensive."

Sonic looked away from him and back to Amy. "I have to go." He slid back and stood. He turned and followed Nack out, he looked over his shoulder at Amy one last time before he left.

Amy sighed. She looked down at the half a sandwich before her. Blaze had insisted that she eat, but Amy had only taken a bite out of it so far. Even if Sonic hadn't been there she couldn't find the desire to eat. "Medic said you needed to eat." Amy looked over her shoulder and saw a black hedgehog leaning in the doorway.

"Shadow..." She looked over at him. "Shouldn't you be at the briefing?"

"The cat said you need to eat." He said not moving. "What use are you going to be if you aren't well."

She scowled a bit. "More use than you are on a daily bases I'm sure." She turned back around to stare down at her plate.

"Eat." He said moving to stand beside her.

"You think you can make me if I don't want too." She said not looking up at him.

He took her wrist turning her forcefully towards him. Amy's heart was pounding so quickly she thought it was going to burst as he pinned her, although nothing but the stare of those crimson eyes of his were needed to hold her still. His leg moved between hers as he pressed her wrists against the counter top. Her mouth was slightly ajar as she pressed back against the edge of the counter her eyes slowly moving from side to side. He picked up the sandwich and held it to her lips. "Eat."

She shook her head, her outer self reappearing. "No, let go." She said shifting her head to the side abruptly.

"Eat."

"I said no!" She suddenly jerked one hand free and slapping the food away. Shadow pinned her again and this time he leaned in and kissed her deeply, sparing no expense. "Um" Amy fought. "Um stop it!" She struggled. "What are you doing?" She jerked from him and pushed him off. She was blushing as she realized she kissed him back somewhat. She turned from him and then walked out.

Shadow sighed heavily as he ran his hands through his quills. He couldn't understand what the hell he was doing. "She's really gotten to you hasn't she." Shadow turned to see Ash standing in the doorway with his arms folded. "You're weaker than I thought."

"I don't recall asking for your opinion Ash."

"You've always been a blind leader, but now you can't see past her green eyes. You're going to end up letting your desire for her become your betrayal to the rest of us."

"Shut up." He said as his face turned serious.

"What? Did you think no one would notice?" He circled his leader. "I noticed, it's blatantly obvious, but I didn't care to begin with. No, I figured she be something else you'd use and then toss, but it's not that simple anymore."

Shadow suddenly lashed out taking Ash by the collar and slamming him against the wall. "I've never liked you, or your back talk and it's getting you in over your head."

"I didn't say anything before, but now someone has too." Ash narrowed his eyes. "I saw that look on your face when Sonic held her. There is no briefing for the leaders, what did you give Nack in exchange for lying to Sonic just now? You're jealousy is blinding you, it's making you wreck less and stupid. I can see far enough ahead to realize that if left unchecked you'll get someone killed you stupid arrogant son of a bitch."


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Hey everybody, here's another chapter. Sorry for my constant delays. I hope I can wrap this up in 6 or 7 more chapters.

**Chapter 21**

"Again Sonic I'm sorry for the mix up." Silver was sitting next to the blue hedgehog in the main lobby area of the base. "Nack doesn't usually have problems getting orders straight, it won't happen again. I'm sure."

"It's alright." Sonic was angry but he kept his composer as he was a leader and need to act as such. "Mistakes happen."

"In any case I'm glad you're here. I think I should go ahead and tell you since one of your crew members is involved."

"Involved in what?" Sonic said arching his brow.

"A weak point that connects the bots has been found." Silver said without changing his expression.

"What?" Sonic stood up. "Why haven't you called a briefing then? Shouldn't you be letting everyone know?"

"We'll call a meeting about it, but we must give them some time." Silver said as he looked from his sitting position up at Sonic. "The weakness has been found, but that won't matter if we don't know how to exploit it." He narrowed his eyes with all seriousness. "If there's one thing I've learned it's that you need to have your shit straight before you go throwing it at others." He said standing himself. "I don't want to giving any false hope. I want to be sure that we can provide a plan, and that's what they need time to do. I needed to tell you because I didn't want you to feel that Tails was disobeying you if he didn't seem to follow your every order."

"Why don't we at least tell the other techs." Sonic asked.

"I left that to their discretion, the two of them have come up with the best gear and best specs out of all the sectors, I'm not gonna upset their mojo. I think you know as well as I, why they work so well together, despite their attempts to hide it." He turned to the door. "Just keep this a secret until they are ready." He looked over his shoulder. "You trust Tails, don't you?"

"Yes," Sonic said unblinking. "With my life."

~Flashback~

"So how did you manage to get away from Honey?" Marine giggled. "She's been glued to your side since the two of you got here."

Tails smiled. "She's on lookout duty with Charmy at the moment." He said looking around the smallish room. "This is the most advanced base in the sectors, how is your lab is this small?" He asked looking around.

She just smiled. "I like things on a smaller scale. It helps me think better than a big wide open space. Besides," She stood up and walked over to a wall. "Just because it seems small doesn't mean it's not stocked and prepared." she hit a button and several shelves and tables popped from the side of the wall, each stocked with materials, gear, and other equipment.

"So," Tails saw the large screen that took up one wall, he took a seat in one of the two chairs that were in front of it. "What can you tell me about the bots?"

"A few weeks ago Nack and I entered the Core." She began typing on the large panel in front of her as she and Tails looked up at the large screen. "We found this video." She played the tape of Eggmans death for Tails.

Tails eyes widened a bit, and yet he was not surprised. "I always thought he would meet his end by one of his own creations...but even he didn't deserve to die like that."

"No one does, but you reap what you sow, and sowed many bad seeds." She said with a little heartfelt pain as she remembered her time of Armageddon. "It stills feel like only yesterday sometimes...I never saw my parents again after that day..." She sighed.

Tails stood by her side and put his hand on her shoulder. She felt his warm touch and she reached up putting her hand on top of his. Her eyes closed as she just focused on the warm touch on her shoulder. She'd forgotten how much she'd missed the two tailed fox. Though their meetings had always been few and far between, she'd cherished each of them. She pulled his arm close to her as she nuzzled her cheek against it. Tails didn't pull away, his eyes were slightly closed as he just put his free hand on top of her head. His feelings, if any, weren't evident, put there was an obvious protective aurora.

Tails looked back up at the screen as it was now blank. "Did you find anything else?" He asked gently stroking her head.

"Yes." She was sitting up and releasing him, as she regained her composer. "One thing I kept playing over and over in my mind. How was Eggman feeding these robots power all at once."

"all at once..." Tails was thinking. It was a good question.

"Remember the older stories about the attacks on the Core back in the beginning?" He nodded. "Well it was where the source of the power was being kept, we knew that much back then, but we never knew what it was or how it worked."

"You're right." He sat down in the chair beside her once more.

"Well this is the Core." A picture appeared before them, it was a screen shot taken from the video of Eggman's death. "This is the actual Core." They had always referred to the fortress as the Core, but now that word has a whole new meaning. Tails stared at the picture, as she zoomed in and cleaned up the shot. It was clear that there was a piece of machinery there, and if you were a Tech you'd recognize it right away. It was a CCM, a central control mechanism. A CCM could be customized for anything, but someone with technical background could recognize the piece anywhere.

"You think it's for the robots." Tails said still staring.

"I do," She answered turning to look at him. "How else could he have been powering them all at once. You know what this means, through this single link every one of these robots is connected."


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter, hope my mojo is still good. I've been feeling off so if it show in my writing let me know and I'll try to improve. Thanks for all the reviews, they keep me writing. :)

**Chapter 22**

It was just as cold as always as a few of the sector members had gathered outside to stretch their muscles and do a little sparing. Amy looked around at the few that were out and about. Charmy was sitting beside Tikal as the two watched Knuckles and Rouge, who were in a crudely drawn fighting square, and a few others were scattered around the area. Sonic was sitting beside a pink hedgehog. "They look like they really missed each other." Sonic said as he saw Knuckles pin Rouge, but she leaned up and kissed his cheek catching him off guard in a blush, and she easily escaped his grasp.

"Yes, they missed each other more than they would ever admit to anyone, but each other." She said resting her chin on her knees. Amy's attention was not full, it was spread over many things, but mostly it was on a certain black hedgehog that was on the other side of the makeshift arena. Since that evening in the kitchen a few days ago, he had not spoken or even looked at her. It was as if she no longer existed in his world. Though since she'd been reunited with all her sector members and had felt a warmth and love for them that she had never known until now, she had also come to realize that something inside her was missing.

Her impartial nature had caused her great anger when Shadow had forced himself into her life and even more so when he invaded her further. She thought she could never feel anything but anger, however as her mind cleared and her rage subsided she was able to see more clearly, and what was so irritating to her was that through it all she had realized that she actually found some kind of joy in the dark hedgehog's presence. His harshness with her, his constant egoistical ways, and his arrogance, with these things he could easily sink her into a rage faster than any other man ever could...but he also brought her a feeling that no one else did, and she had yet to understand what that feeling truly was.

what was even more frustrating was the sidebar thoughts she had every so often when she stared at him to long. She'd see his face and her cheeks would go red and her body would be hot as she closed her eyes and imagined his grip on her body. She knew she was thinking of the night they had spent together in the cave. It had been an experience like no other, and even though she had been high with fever she remembered every detail. The way his hands had touched her, the way his lips had kissed hers, and every embarrassing thing he'd made her say to him. She had thought at first that everything had been an infatuation from their constant closeness and his ever present seductiveness...but she found herself missing it all, everything about him. She wanted it back, but admitting that to herself was hard enough, she wasn't sure if it could ever be that way again. She would have to let go of her pride, she didn't know if she could do that, further more the idea of giving him that kind of satisfaction made her blood boil.

Silver was standing by himself across the arena his eyes were on Tikal and Charmy. "You know you could talk to her." A purple cat was standing behind him.

"Blaze..." He looked over his shoulder. "What are you talking about?" He said casually.

"Silver I've known you since we were kids. You're really good at hiding your feelings, emotions, and damn near everything else, but not from people that have known you as long as I have." She smiled. "Oh I know you think you didn't show any signs, but just because you didn't stare blatantly at her like a love struck puppy, doesn't mean I can't see it." She smiled as she stood beside him. "No one but me would know when you've been smitten Silver. I've seen you when you think no one is looking. When you are taking a glimpse. Admit it or not I know you've taking a shine to that little medic."

"You're mistaken." Silver said his eyes remaining steady and his body unmoving.

She moved to stand in front of him. "Silver, the world could end tomorrow. You've given more than your fair share of life to this cause, to others, to anyone or anything but yourself. Don't you think just once before you die that you should do something for you?" She looked up. "You can at least talk to her." She let a smile leap onto her lips. "Besides you never know, she could be crushing on you." Silver's eyes slid to the side, and she knew he was repressing a blush. "You're going to have to learn to let a blush show, and to be honest with your feelings." She said tilting her head to the side. "Tikal seems like a simple girl and a simple truth will make things easier." She turned and began to walk way. "Just talk to her, or else."

He turned. "Or else what?"

She looked over her shoulder. "Or else I will."

"Be careful Charmy and don't fly to high. Your wings could freeze." Tikal was warning the little bee as he flew up.

"How are you doing?" Silver was standing by Tikal suddenly. Though he had not intended to approach Tikal, he know Blaze would be more than happy to follow through on her threat.

The peach echidna looked up, somehow unfazed by his sudden appearance. "Oh hello sir." She smiled. "I'm doing well."

"No need to add the sir." He smiled. "We are all friends here and I consider all to be my equals as we each bring something to the table."

She smiled. "You are very kind Silver." She had a certain virility about her that made her smile more sweet and innocent than any Silver had ever witness, it was true what Blaze had said. He did feel lighter when this girl smiled and though he had never wanted to show that to anyone and never wanted to make anything of it, Blaze had known right away, even before he himself.

What confused him more so was why he felt for her anything beyond that of a comrade. She had not treated him any different than anyone else, and he not even known her or laid eyes upon her until she had arrived in North Sector for the first time. He watched her many times and never even spoken to her until now, but even so he felt warmth inside when he saw her smile and eyes, yes those eyes were like a window into another world. To Silver, Tikal appeared as if the robot wars had never happened, she seemed untouched and unchanged by all that had happened. From the moment he had laid eyes on her he knew that all he wanted to do was protect her.

"Amy," Sonic leaned forward somewhat so he could see her eyes. "Since you've been back, you've been closer to us...to me...and my feelings for you now...they are as strong as they ever were...I still want-"

"Do you fight." A certain dark hedgehog was standing with his arms crossed before Sonic. "I'm told you are the leader of Central, can you fight like one?"

Sonic stood up. Ever since he had met Shadow he had nothing but a burning anger toward him. He'd caught the way Amy looked at him a time or two and he was full of jealously. "Well enough to beat you."

Shadow smirked. "Is that so. You talk like a man, but can you fight like one." He turned and walked toward the arena. "Why don't you put your fists where your mouth is."

Sonic 's eyes narrowed in anger as he jumped down from the icy rock he and Amy were sitting on. "It's your funeral." Sonic growled.

Sonic used a burst of super speed and was suddenly standing in the middle of the fighting area. Shadow who was still walking stopped and looked back. For the first time in days he made eye contact with Amy. She blushed as her eyes met his.

Amy had jumped down and was standing by the edge of the arena watching. She stood silent, her eyes jumped between the two. She felt her heart pounding.

"Don't look at her, look at me." Sonic said under his breath loud enough for only Shadow to hear, before he suddenly dashed forward to land a swift kick to Shadows left flank, but when he landed his kick he realized that he had hit nothing.

Shadow stood several feet behind him with his arms folded. "You're slow."

"No I'm not!" Sonic turned and lashed out again, and as before Shadow dodged it easily.

"Then why can you not land a single strike?" He dodged yet another attack.

"And why is it that all you can do is run away?" Sonic said with a growl. "You have not landed a hit either."

"Do you want me to embarrass you that much?" Shadow said looking at him with a seriousness, his eyes shifted to Amy for a moment.

Sonic's eyes filled with rage. "You are nothing, and you've always been nothing, and you will never be anything to anyone!" Sonic new that Shadow would recognize 'anyone' as Amy.

Shadow's eyes went wide for a second, and in that single second he landed a punch so hard to Sonic that it sent him flying, when he landed Shadow was over him as he picked the cobalt hedgehog up by the brim of his armor. "Now imagine less than all that and it will be you."

"Shadow stop it!" Tikal was standing beside them. "This is not sparing this out right fighting, what way is this for two leaders to act?" She said with a heartfelt tone.

"She's right." Silver was by her side. "She's a medic and she knows better the ways of a leader than the two of you do right now."

"How can we expect to fight these bots if we are too busy fighting each other?" Tikal said gently as she knelt down. "Please let him go."

Shadow dropped Sonic to the ground. "He shouldn't have made threats to which he cannot follow through, he's nothing but a faker." He turned and walked away. Sonic was angry, but he had been hit so hard that he closed his eyes and was out cold.

Amy was by Tikal in a second. "Will he be alright?"

"Yes," Tikal nodded. "He will be just fine, I just had to step in. It is no good for too leaders to fight like that."

Amy nodded. "I agree." She lifted and moved quickly; she could just make out Shadow's silhouette against the shinning ice. She followed him quickly. Shadow stood still once he reached the edge of an ice cliff a mile or so out. Amy stood up behind him. "Shadow." She watched him but he didn't move or respond. "Why did you do that?" She asked, and again he did not react. "Shadow." When he did not respond again she got angry. "Listen to me when I'm speaking to you!"

She went to smack him in the back of the head but he turned in seconds catching her hand and looking her directly in the eyes. "Because he is not good enough for you, and he never will be."

"And you think you are?" She said staring right back at him.

"I never said anything about me." He leaned in closer. She blushed realizing she'd made the accusation not him. "I've seen his type before I know he will never be good enough for someone like you."

"And what do you know about his type?" She jerked her arm away. "And for that matter what do you know about me?" She was angry as she turned and began to walk away, but suddenly she felt her back pressed against the cold ice wall that was to her left.

Shadow did not hold her, but his hands pressed against the ice as his body was leaned over hers. "I know enough." He said looking down at her. "I know what makes you angry, and I know what makes you happy." He leaned in closer his lips were almost touching hers, and then he pulled back. "I know that he will never be able to give you what you want. I know that he will never understand you and he will never give you freedom. He can never make you feel the way you want to feel...the way I make you feel."

She blushed as she saw him lean again, but as before he did not kiss her only stared into her green eyes. She felt his warm body close to hers and his gaze of his crimson eyes held her so tight that he might as well of bound her body with all his might. She felt hot and her mind was racing and yet at the same time blank. She couldn't stand it. His eyes, his lips, it was too much. She closed the few inches between them and kissed him. Shadow kissed her back as his one arm continued to support him as he leaned over her the other wrapped around her body pulling her to him. She gasped for breath as they intertwined the kiss more and more and he was relentlessly with her as if getting revenge for all her defiance. He moved closer still, suddenly placing his knee between her legs and lifting her slightly off the ground and he pulled her arms around him as he kissed down her neck to her breasts. He kissed her body tauntingly only kissing where fleshed showed, he did not remove a single piece of clothing or armor from her body. Amy was hot as she didn't fight him at all. She welcomed his every touch. She held him close as he kissed down the valley of her chest. She was poisoned with him now, she couldn't escape even if she wanted too. All she wanted was for him to continue making her feel this way. Shadow then parted his lips from her body and looked into her face. Finally he put her back to the ground taking a breath as he turned.

Amy was blushing as she watched him. "Wh-what...why did you-"

"I told you before." He looked over his shoulder. "I will not do those things to you again until you are completely and utterly in love with me."


	24. Chapter 23

**A/N:** Well here's my next chapter everybody. Thanks for barring with me. In this chapter you'll find it's more relationship based than usual. If you've read my other stories, you'll know that I've never worked with a cast this size before. So I hope I'm able to make the story flow, and still cover everyone's relationships and not leave any characters out, which I've come to find to be pretty hard when you have so many, but I couldn't resist working with them all. Enjoy the chapter and leave me a review thanks!

**Chapter 23**

Most of West Sector was in a large area with a little bit of gym equipment that had been made of old useless robot parts. Espio was doing a few arm curls, but his attention was on something else. Mina was across the room. She was doing pull ups. "If you're going to start drooling get a bucket." A certain crock sat beside his leader.

"She's my woman; I'm allowed to want her." He said with a bit of a smile as he looked at her still. "You know how I feel about her."

"What would you do if Mina had belonged to another Sector? Would you have loved her?"

Espio was thinking, he looked up at Mina and knew right away. "The moment I met her I wouldn't of been able to stay away."

"But what about your sector? You're a leader, what about your responsibility to your team? How would it be if anyone of us fell for someone in another sector, we're a team we all depend on each other."

Espio nodded. "Yes this is true. It would be very difficult loving someone that belonged to another sector. It'd be a very difficult thing indeed, but nothing is impossible for love." He said as Mina smiled at him from across the room.

"I think I'm going to puke."

"That's what a girl will do to you. " He sighed with a half smile.

"My point is shouldn't we be watching our own." He crossed his arms. "I've noticed others crossing sectors, it's going to cause nothing but trouble."

"We are suppose to be working together. We don't stand a chance alone." Espio reminded him.

"And what will happen after all this? Say by some miracle we survive, the sectors will have to separate. Each part of the world will still needs a sector, and what will happen if we have all become intertwined, who will be responsible for our homes? Will we each choose duty or love? Will we rise to the task at hand or will we choose our own desires instead?" He was looking at Honey.

"I hadn't considered this." Espio was in thought. "You make a good point, but I think more that it is to keep something for yourself than to preserve life for the rest of the world." He said resting his forearm on his knee. "You're argument would be better made to someone that doesn't know love Vector." He looked at his yellow mongoose. "For someone that has not loved the choice is clear, responsibility. But for someone like me, if I had to choose between the world and her," He saw her smile as she was talking with Honey. "it would be her..."

Ash and Ebony were sitting in the common room of the base. They were talking as they ate and drank. "We've been here for almost a week now." Ash growled. "All of us together like this has thus far caused nothing but trouble."

"What were you expecting?" Ebony said looking over her cup at him. "That we'd all meet up and automatically get along, know exactly what to do, and suddenly becoming an unstoppable force within the first ten minutes? Have some patience we're only human, we need time."

"We are fighting more amongst ourselves than we are against the bots. It would of been better if we had all just remained in our own sectors and fought them there."

"Yes, and then we'd all be dead." She pointed out.

"At least we would of made a stand, here all we're doing is sitting on our asses and getting attached to people that we will never see again."

"Attached?" She noticed his wording. "Who's getting attached?"

"For example." He nodded his head to the other side of the room. Void was following Julie Sue around like a lost puppy. "What would you call that?"

"Curiosity." Ebony answered easily. "That pink echidna is as different as Void is. She's half made of metal and she never speaks to anyone. It's natural he'd want to know more about her don't you think?"

"No, I think it's trouble. He's not the only one, I see it all over the place. The sectors are cross breeding. This is wrong. What will become of all of them when we separate? Each sector needs a leader, second, a medic, muscle, and a tech, no less. Take one of those away permanently and it will crumble. "

Ebony's expression remained calm. "And what if we don't separate." She stated.

"What?" Ash looked up quickly at her.

"What if this is all folly and we are all going to die." She didn't seem downcast or emotional at all, her voice and face were completely neutral. "If this is our final stand, and there's nothing left for us after this, would you really deny these people companionship or love? All of us have done nothing but fight for what little good is left in this world, and if this is the end then it doesn't matter who we love or who we want to be with. I think it's very little to ask to be with the one you love before it's all over."

"Uh, do you always have to make sense Ebony..." Ash rolled his eyes. "And what if this isn't the end?"

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Why cause trouble over something that hasn't happened yet and for that matter may never happen."

"I know your names Julie Sue." Void was hovering by Julie as she worked on tightening a screw in her arm. "My names Void." He hadn't really tried to talk to her until now. He had been hoping that maybe she would talk to him, but she had remained silent. He looked at her arm. "Does that hurt?" He put his feet on the ground and walked to her other side. "Do you have any feeling in the metal parts of your body?" His head tilted to the side. "Does it-"

"Do you ever shut up?" She looked up at him out of the corner of her eye.

He blinked. "Wow, so you can talk." He seem to ignore her comment entirely.

She sighed. "You're an idiot."

"Tell me more about yourself." He said sitting down. "You're like me." He said with his head tilted in interest. "You're different from everyone else."

"I am not." She said turning away. "I'm not different! I'm not!" It was obvious to see that though she truly was very different from everyone else, she did not wish to be.

Void's eyes closed slightly. "Is it really that terrible to be different?" He asked.

"Yes," She said hitting the table with her metal fist. "Everyone treats me different, looks at me different, all because of this metal! I wish I had died! At least it'd be better than living like this!"

"I don't think so." He said looking at her with blinking eyes. "If you were dead who would protect your friends?" Julie looked up at him. "You're the muscle, without you the others would be lost for sure."

"Maybe...but..." Her eyes were soft, something no one else had seen since her accident.

"Besides being different can't be all that horrible." He said looking down at his hands. "Because if it is then that means I'm supposed to be as miserable as well." He turned back to her. "You're still part flesh, imagine if your entire body was made of dark matter."

"Dark matter?" She said looking down at his hands, if you could call them hands, he had three dark purple-blue claws and large emerald clamps on his wrists.

"Yes," He said flexing his 'fingers'. "You can still feel with what's left of your human body. If you were like me you couldn't feel anything." He suddenly took her human hand holding it up to his. "You can feel my hand against yours can you not?" She nodded blankly. "I feel nothing. I only know you're touching me because I can see it." He stared at their hands. "If it weren't for my psychic powers I would be nothing but a problem for my sector." He lowered his hand from hers.

"What do you mean a problem?" She said leaning in with a curiosity of her own now.

"Imagine what it means not to feel." He said crossing his arms. "It doesn't just mean that I can't feel someone's hand against mine, or a brush in a crowded hall. It means I can't feel pain either. He picked up the screwdriver she'd been using. "If you were to stab me in the back with this I would not feel it."

"What?" She said looking at the tool in his hand.

"I could bleed to death if I didn't realize I'd been stabbed." He held the tool out to her. "No feeling at all is much worse than only feeling some."

"If all that is true, how are you able to fight or do anything else if you can't tell when you've been hurt or injured?"

"My powers." He said holding up one of his arms. Suddenly his body had a very small dark blue glow covering it, and then in a few moments it seem to sink into his flesh. "I've learned how to create a barrier of psychic energy around my body and if something breaks that barrier I know I've been touched or attacked." He looked at his claws again. "Ebony is always very careful to check me over for any injuries I may of gotten and not know about." He looked at her again. "Being unlike everyone else is hard and people may treat you different, but that doesn't make you who you are."


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Alright gang here's the next chapter. I know I said I was hoping to wrap this up soon but...well...I hate to have to tell ya this, but it looks like I'm going to be tacking on 3 or 4 more chapters after all. I thought I could end it soon, but with my new plot, it's going to take a couple extra chapters before I get to the end. I hope that's ok with everyone! Please leave me a review thanks! :D

**chapter 24**

"Ah no Scourge stop." Fiona blushed as he held her. He had wrapped his arms around her from behind and was kissing down her neck. "Ah S-Scourge...we're going to be late for the meeting."

He ignored her comment. "You're one of the very few who has scented soap." He nuzzled into her neck and kiss gently down to her collarbone. "You taste like chamomile and honey, a taste suiting to someone as sensitive as you." He bit gently and listened to her gasp softly.

"L-Let me go." She said twisting her head. "You're just teasing me." She said blushing.

"Oh does that mean you want me to do more than tease?" He asked leaning his head over her shoulder.

Her blush intensified and she suddenly spun around kicking him to the ground. "Uh you are such a pervert, keep your tentacles to yourself from now on!" She began to walk away her arms folded.

He smiled as he rubbed his sore side. "One day you're going to realize how much stronger your desires truly are, and you will fall prey to me."

Fiona walked into the briefing room. Though she knew she shouldn't be, she was surprise to see the sectors separated for the first time. She realized that it was because each leader was missing and thus the sectors had divided to await it's leaders words. She approached South Sector and sat down between Wave and Storm. Cosmic was behind her with Ray. Ray looked down. "You look a little flushed Fiona."

Cosmic, being the medic, of course leaned down to look at her. "Are you feeling alright?" He touched her forehead. "A fever perhaps?"

"No, I'm fine." She said pushing his hand away. "I'm just fine."

"It's still very odd." Ray said with a suspecting gaze. "It's cold out and you're flushed."

Scourge was walking up to his sector; he sat down. "So Void, find out anything interesting about your metal friend?"

Void looked up at him. "Her name's Julie." He said looking over at North Sector. "She's different like me."

"Can she not feel like you?" Scourge asked.

"She has some type of sensory perception in her metal parts, but nothing that any human could consider feeling." He said as Julie caught his eyes and stared at him for a moment her face expressionless, before turning back to her own group.

"Not that you would know Scourge, since you spend every waking moment chasing the tail of that South Sector fox." Ash grumbled.

"Don't be jealous." Scourge leaned back in his chair. "I got to her first, she's going to be mine."

"You're an idiot pursing someone that obviously will never return your 'feelings'." He said referring to what he considered to be Scourge's blind lust.

Scourge just looked over at Fiona. "That just goes to show how little you really know about me Ash."

Nack leaned in to whisper to Blaze. "Has something happened between that Imp thing and Julie? She's spent almost every waking second with him the past two days, and every so often I see her looking at him."

Blaze was staring forward as she blinked. "They're both different. I think she finds comfort in the company of someone that shares her suffering."

"Suffering?" Nack scoffed. "She could be dead you know."

"There are some things worse than death Nack." The purple cat said wisely.

"Ah where's Tails?" Honey said impatiently. "I don't see him."

Tikal giggled. "Be patient, you act like a love bird that's been separated for weeks on end from its mate."

"That's just how I feel." Honey said sitting down beside the medic and crossing he arms and legs in a pouting fashion. "I have to stay with him. It's all the time I get," She looked angry. "Every other waking moment he's with that North Sector Tech."

"Honey," Mina sat next to her with a bit of a sly smile. "You're not jealous are you?"

"Me? Jealous?" Honey snorted. "As if, I have no reason to be jealous of that little raccoon."

"What do you think they are talking about?" Charmy asked as he and Vector sat a little ways back from the West Sector girls.

"Who knows, and even if we did, I doubt we would understand it. Girls might as well talk in another language. They're nothing but trouble little buddy."

Amy sat on the left side of Rouge, while Knuckles was on her right. "Where's Tails anyway?" Amy asked as she looked over at Knuckles. She may of been second in command, but Sonic talked more with Knuckles and Tails than with her, when it came to this kind of thing.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think they may have come up with a plan." He motioned to North Sector. "Notice another Tech is missing." He said looking back. "I'd bet anything that those two have been locked away scheming somewhere this entire time. They are bound to of come up with something by now."

"What? Really?" Amy sat up with attention.

"Yes," Rouge agreed as she thought about what Knuckles had just said. "All the best gear in the sectors have either been designed, created, or conjured by those two." She was thinking of all the best gear that had ever been brought about.

"That's right." Amy realized that this was very true. "This means...we might actually have a chance after all."

The groups suddenly became silent as the door opened again and this time the leaders entered the room, in front of them were Tails and Marine. The two techs separated and joined their own sectors.

The leaders stood at the front of the room. Silver was in the lead flanked on his left by Shadow and Jet, on his right were Sonic and Espio. "I think you all have an idea as to why you've been summoned here." He spoke clearly. "We all know that we have come together to fight against these bots, but more importantly we now have plan to implement with our combined strengths." He looked around the room. "Thanks to our techs, we now have a way to beat these things at the source. As we all know it's impossible to take all of these things head on in a battle, but there is away to take them down simultaneously." Silver survey the room once more. "In Eggmans fortress there is a piece of equipment that connects all these things together, our techs will come up with a virus and then we will send a team to the fortress to plant the virus and set off the machine."

All of the sectors were staring with blank eyes almost unable to believe that there may be light at the end of the tunnel after all. Espio stepped forward. "We will each send a member of our own sector to make up the team that will go to Eggman's base."

Sonic nodded and added. "It would be wise for all the techs to start on that virus right away."

Jet stepped forward. "Don't just stand there with your jaws gaping, get moving." He said directly to his sector.

The other leaders nodded to their sectors as well. Silver stood atop the table as they began to depart to train and work. "Hold your heads high, we'll save our planet yet, we've protected it all this time and now we will finally end this nightmare for good."


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter, hope you like! Give me a review please! :D

**Chapter 25**

"YA!" Amy went to land a kick to Knuckles side, but he dodged.

"That was a little too close." Knuckles looked up from his crouched position.

"Come on Knuckles, what's your excuse for the poor performance?" She said taking a step forward as Knuckles jumped to his feet.

"Something under your skin?" Knuckles asked arching a brow with a ticked look.

Amy sighed relaxing her shoulders. "Sorry..."

"It's alright." Knuckles eyes were skeptical of her. "I know you, and you're not usually like this unless something's bugging the hell out of you."

"I said I'm sorry." She didn't look at him as she was somehow getting angrier, though she knew he was right.

"Never the less you need to try to keep it under control." He looked up at her.

Amy's temper broke, but before she could get a word out someone stepped in. "Perhaps she's simply in need of a competent opponent. " Shadow stood with his arms folded. His gaze was unblinking as he stared at Amy.

Knuckles brow furrowed with annoyance as he got to his feet. "I'm out."

Shadow watched him go and then turned his attention back to the pink hedgehog. "You were holding back against him." He moved to stand before her. "I have no use for such generosity." He said cracking his neck.

"Of course not, I reserve that for people I actually care about!" She began attacking him with a borage of kicks and punches, only landing an occasional one. She followed him as he moved backwards avoiding her attacks. She continued attacking relentlessly until finally Shadow took the offensive.

Shadow suddenly dropped to the floor and swung his leg under Amy's feet plummeting her to the ground. He penned her with ease he held her by her wrists. "You're not concentrating." He moved so his knee was between her legs as he leaned in. He put her wrists together and held them down with one hand, and with his free hand he tapped on her temple. "You're not fighting with your head." His fingers moved down and tapped on her heart. "You're fighting with this." His eyes were half closed as he stared down at her. His own desires were strong as he looked at her blushing face and he felt her body becoming hot from his touch. He knew every fiber of her body invited him to come closer though she attempted to say otherwise with her eyes and words. "You enjoy this don't you." He said, though his eyes were angry he had a bitter smile on his lips. "You're tempting me in every way you can."

"No, I'm not." She said twisting under him, but only to move her body. Though she wasn't fully aware her desire for this dark hedgehog was hard at work.

"Even you're denial pulls me in." His lips brazed hers. "However weak that denial may be." He whispered.

"Shadow." Her body arched under his as she felt his knee move between her legs. "Ah, s-stop." She blushed as she gasped sweetly. "Ah n-no not like that." She blushed as his muzzle ran against her neck. "S-Shadow it's too hot please."

Shadow grunted. "Yes, it is hot." He said as every move she made, and every begging word of salvation she spoke made him more and more hungry for her. "You..." He was breathing deep and in loud breaths as he leaned in and kissed her. It was a long hot kiss full of desire and yearning He released her wrists at last wrapping his arms around her body. She couldn't offer a drop or resistance as she wrapped her arms around him holding him tight to her as her knees arched clinging to his leg.

Shadow finally broke away jumping back several feet and whipping his mouth as he breathed heavily. "I still couldn't entirely resist you." He watched her sit up looking only at her feet. "But I try, unlike you."

"What?" She suddenly looked up at him.

"You do not try to resist me at all. If I let my control slip away, you would allow me ravish you." He said standing up from his crouched positioned. Amy's eyes widened as she was struck with this harsh truth. Her mind suddenly swept over every encounter she'd made with him, that was like this one, and she realized that he was right. Every time she would of willingly let him do as he please and she would of welcomed it, enjoyed it, even if only for pleasure of the moment. This made her realize how weak she was toward him.

"When we first met, you were a smart, strong, stubborn pain in the ass, and you still are. The only difference between then and now is your resolve. The girl I knew then wouldn't of thought twice about this. Her dedication, body and soul, was to her goal, and her goal alone. What happened to that girl?" His stance was almost that of arrogance now. "Did I finally defeat her? Did I overpower her and now all that is left are her attributes and no will? Who are you? Tell me that, who have you become?"

Every inch of Amy was engulfed in rage, and not because of anger, but because Shadow was right. She had fallen from the girl she'd once been. She remembered clearly now that she had set out on a mission to save her home, her friends, and what was left of the world, and she had forgotten all this and let herself be overcome by something that was so trivial in comparison to what was at stake. Here the world was on the break of extinction and her mind had been on nothing but him. But now it was done.

"It stops now." Amy got to her feet and stood firm. Her fists tightened. "I won't be seduced by you anymore. I will not stop until I see this goal become a truth and a reality, the Earth can be save and I mean for it to happen!" She walked up to him and without hesitation punched his square in the jaw. "If you ever try to distract me like this again I will do worse than that!" She turned and left in determined strides.

Shadow rubbed his now soar cheek, but he didn't seem sad or angry.

"Don't lick your wounds to much or they won't heal." A figure had jumped down from the rafters. They stepped into the light. It was Ash. "You did what you had to Shadow." He said looking at the black hedgehog with a serious expression. "She was a danger to her own plan. If you did not set her back in her determination her heart would of not been in it, and she would fail and we would all die."

Shadow spoke with a half hearted tone. "I've done what was necessary, she will live now with purpose and with her undistracted heart."

"You shouldn't of stolen it to begin with." Ash scolded. "What would you of all people do with the heart of woman? "

Ray and Honey were sitting at a table in what had been made into a makeshift workshop for the five techs. The cat looked across the room at a certain fox who she so pined for. She saw him talking to that raccoon again. How it set her on fire. He spent time with her constantly and they never seem to talk like that amongst the other techs. She was constantly at war with herself. She relentlessly wanted to lash out, and every time she recoiled her anger because she cared so much about what Tails would think, but she didn't know how much longer she could hold back her feelings.

Finally Tails and Marine joined Ray and Honey at the table. "Where do you think Ash went?" Ray asked as he looked at Marine and Tails.

"I don't know." Marine met Tails's equally curious gaze. "Good question."

"It's his own business." Honey said as the four of them sat at the table that was covered with all manner of tech gear and other equipment and machinery.

Ray seemed to reseed a bit at her tempered retort. Marine had an annoyed look on her face. "He's part of this team you know."

"What team?" Honey looked up. "We're simply five sectors that are fighting the same enemy. Nothing bounds us together but that." She said looking back at her work with angry eyes.

"Honey." Tails said in a slightly scolding voice. "You shouldn't say things like that."

"Why!" She suddenly stood up, her hands slammed against the table. "Why shouldn't I? Because they go against the words of your favorite!" She picked up the gear she'd been working on. "Well since you two seem to have it all worked out you don't need any of us or a team so why don't you just shut the hell up!" She threw the gear to the ground smashing it. "I'm done with this, I'm done with you!" She turned and stormed out of the room.

"What got into her?" Ray asked. "She's acting angrier than ever."

"You can say that again." Marine agreed.

"I'll talk to her." Tails got up and went after her.

He passed down the hall and into the main corridor. He saw Jet and Wave sitting together. "Hey did you two see Honey?"

Jet nodded. "She just went outside."

"What?" He looked quickly at the door, and ran toward it. He knew that if Honey had gone outside after all she had said, that she very well may have no intention of returning. Once outside he looked around quickly, but he didn't see her. He closed his eyes and his fox ears twitched. His eyes shot open and he looked to the North and saw her running away in the distance. He ran after her. "Honey!"

Honey did not stop, but her temper made her clumsy and she tripped several times as she tried to stay out of Tails reach, but he was determined and caught up with her, now only a few yards back. "Honey stop!"

"Go away!" She said as she tried to push forward.

"No, not without you!" He said still following.

"Just leave me alone Tails, I'm not going back!" She said as she breathed heavily, tiered with exhaustion and sadness.

"Yes you are." Tails lunged forward wrapping his arms around her ankles and causing her to fall.

"Tails let me go!" She was still trying to escape his grasp.

"No, not until you agree to come back." He said looking up at her.

"Never!" She turned so she was sitting and looking down at him as he held her ankles in his arms still.

"You will." He said sitting up as he realized for a moment she couldn't go anywhere.

"I won't!" She jerked her eyes away from him.

"Why?" He moved closer so that he could see her face more clearly in the darkness. "Why won't you come back?"

"Tails," She looked into his eyes. "Can't you see how much I want you for myself?" She asked with glossy eyes.

He blushed. "H-Honey..."

"Ever since our journey here, I've wanted to be with you, but you only have eyes for Marine. You don't care anything about me, you don't care about anything but her!" She said turning away.

"That's not true." He said more confidently.

"Even if that's true, you don't want me for your own as I want you." She moved to be on her knees. "But I'll be damned if I let you get away and leave me completely empty handed." She suddenly took his shoulders in her grip and leaned in stealing a kiss. Tails was dumbfounded as he blushed bright pink. She released him. "Goodbye Tails." She got up and began to run again.

Tails was still stunned for a moment before he realized that she was running again, and then he suddenly shook himself, his blush fading. "Hey wait! Honey!" She was making her way up over a ridge. It was harder for her because the snow was so deep. She tripped again and fell face first into the snow at the crest of the ridge. She lifted and spit out snow. She looked down from her high spot and when she did her eyes grew wide with fear and her stomach tighten. She was afraid to even take a breath. Tails came up behind her. "Honey you-" He stopped midsentence as he looked down. He stared for several moments as if hoping that it was just a nightmare that would disappear, but as the moments passed he knew it was not and he dropped to his knees. "Heaven help us."


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Alright here's the next chapter, sorry it's short, but I didn't have a lot of time. I will try to make the next one longer! Please send me a review, thanks! :)

**Chapter 26**

"Move, we're in a hurry!" Vector growled as Charmy and the girls of West sector scrambled to gather a few things.

"What do you think is going on?" Mina said a she and Tikal quickly grabbed what they needed.

"I haven't any idea, but it must be serious." She remembered that only a few moments ago the five leaders had gathered them all and told them to collect what they would need for a small reconnaissance mission and nothing more. They had received a transmission from Tail's to come quickly to the northern ridge that boards the Core. "Something terrible must be happening at the Core for Tails to insist that we all see it for ourselves."

"Maybe he thought we wouldn't believe him if we didn't." Mina said as she pulled on a book bag.  
>"Come on we have to hurry, the others will be ready to move."<p>

Each leader took the front point of their sector and they all quickly began their short trek to the ridge. Amy was beside Sonic as his second just the other Seconds flanked their own Leaders. "What did Tails see?"

"You will see for yourself very soon, it was...too much explain and yet too little. Mostly we won't know what to do if it is what he said."

The sectors soon found themselves at the bottom of the ridge. Honey and Tails were standing there. Honey was trembling as Tails had his arm around her. Espio took quickly to his Tech's side. "Honey, are you alright?" He said as he stood before her.

"Fine...I'm fine." She said unable to look him in the eye.

"Tikal," Espio called for his medic.

"Yes sir?" She answered as she stood behind him somewhat meekly as usual.

"Take Tails and Honey and set up camp and tend to them." He looked at Sonic for approval as Tails was not his to command, but the blue hedgehog nodded with no disapproval. The two began to help Tikal set up some tents, while the others began their short trudge up the ridge to see what was so horrible to behold.

The Seconds and Leaders were the first to reach the top and look down on the Core. What they saw made their hearts sink and their throats turn dry. It was ten thousand or more bots below them. They were all surrounding the Core. It was as if they were like insects flocking to a nest. The image was horrifying never had anyone seen so many killing machines gathered together since the swarm of Armageddon. For anyone who had been in Armageddon, and lived, this was like looking down on an unstoppable valley of death. The other team members had joined their leaders and seconds upon the ridge and what they saw equally sickened them.

Tikal looked at Honey. "I know it must of been very hard to take in what you saw." She said as she sat down beside the cat in a tent they had put up.

"We're doomed...there's no way to penetrate that many bots...we'll never be able to get into the Core now." Her eyes were weak with sadness.

Tails entered for a brief moment. "The others have come back down."

Tikal and Honey walked out and joined the circle where all the other sectors were gathered.

"What hope is there now?" Ash asked. "We might as well all return to our own lands now."

"After all we went through to unite the sectors?" Amy stood firm.

"What does it matter now?" Ash growled. "Even with our combine strength there is no way to get through an army of ten thousand bots!"

"We can't give up!" Amy stepped forward meeting his glare.

"Last I checked you were a Second not Leader." Ash soughed.

"Ash!" Ebony glared. "Leave her be."

"He has a point." Nack stood by Silver. "I do not wish to speak out of turn Silver, but there is some sense in what the mongoose's words."

"But there is hope in Amy's." Jet stood by Wave as he looked to the pink hedgehog. "We've seen what these things can do even in a small swarm. We'd be no more match for them in our own sectors than we are here."

"Then why stay?" Vector asked. "Shouldn't we at least perish protecting each of our homes?"

"This squabbling must cease." Silver broke his silence at last. "The more we argue now the more harm we will bring to each other and our cause."

"Cause? What cause is left?" Ash turned away and sat down on the ground.

The sectors had sat down close to each other in five circles. They were all resting by a small fire they had made, while it was not snowing and it was a decent temperature, and before they would have to spend the night in the small cramped tents. Charmy fluttered his wings and moved to sit in Tikal's lap. "Tikal..."

"Yes Charmy?" She said gently as she looked down at the little bee in her lap and smiled.

"W-Will you please...sing a song for me?" He looked up at her with half closed eyes. "Your song of spring?"

She nodded gently. "Of course I will." The little bee closed his eyes and nestled into her as she began to hum.

_"Under the snow, beneath the frozen streams there is life."_

Her eyes were barely opened as she sang the words gently, and though she did not know it the other sectors were listening closely.

_"You have to know, when nature sleeps, she dreams there is life."_

Her words were like magic as it seem to capture the others ears and her gentle tone touched them.

_"The colder the winter the warmer spring, the deeper the sorrow the more our hearts sing, even when you can't see it, inside everything...there is life."_

Her voice was sweet and it made the bitter cold vanish and each one felt as if they were in the midst of the tender warmth of spring. Mina clutched Espio as she heard her friends voice sing.

_"After the rain, the sun will reappear...there is life."_

Amy's eyes closed as she listened to the words and found hope to stand on and to hold back the tears that sp desperately wanted to fall. Rouge felt Knuckles's large warm hand wrap around her own, she returned his grip.

_"After the pain the joy will still be here...there is life." _

A tear ran down Honey's cheek as she felt Vector's large arm wrap around her shoulder in comfort.

_"For its out of the darkness that we learn to see, and out of the silence that songs come to be, and all that we dream of awaits patiently...there is...there is life."_

Of all hearts, Silver's was most touched by her words. It was as if she sang with no regard to their hopelessness, and no care to where they were or the depths of her friends sorrow, she sang without reprieve to any of these things, and such hope amazed Silver to no end. He knew that they would all be needing it now that such a hopeless time had befallen them.


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Well guys here's another chapter, I hope you like it. And also I just wanna say I'm sorry my chapters have shortened. :/ I just find it easier to write more short chapters, than just a few long ones. Plus if I write shorter ones I can update more. But to those who dislike short chapters I'm sorry, I try to makes sure I never have one shorter than three pages.

R&R! :)

**Chapter 27**

Knuckles was drifting in and out of sleep. He and the rest of his sector were lying in their tent. Each sector had brought their own tent, and because of the short prep time, they had each only packed a small one. Knuckles however had no compliant as he and Rouge were sharing a sleeping bag. He let his arms wrap around her gently. It was so warm as he nestled his muzzle into the curve her neck. He never realized how smooth Rouge kept her skink, despite constantly being in battle. He closed his eyes, their legs were entangled from where they had been kissing before she had fallen asleep.

As Knuckles held her close he thought of the song Tikal had been singing before they all went to sleep. It had taken him back in time, a very long ways back. In his mind he could see it clear as day. He was sitting against the master emerald, the sun warmed his fur and a cool wisp of wind danced through the grass of the Angle Isle meadows. How beautiful it was, spring time on Angle Island. Spring, that was what she had been singing about wasn't it? He thought back further into his memories. Tikal had come to be in their world by the master emerald. She understood its power better than even he. Knuckles could just make out memories of her speaking with him once long ago. She had been speaking with him about the powers of the large gem, and how their entire clan depended on its powers back in the time she came from.

_"The echidna clan depended on the master emerald that much?" Knuckles looked at Tikal bewildered._

_"Yes back then we even depended on it to change the weather on this island."_

_"It could change the weather?" He said looking at the shining stone._

_"Yes we often sang to it. Our song of spring, to bring it back to life from the cold of winter and then the emerald in turn would bring life back to the island." She smiled approaching the emerald. "It could also give us great strength in times when our need was most great." She said putting her hand upon it._

Suddenly Knuckles sprang up into a sitting position. Rouge fell from his grasp as he snapped up. She was turning over slightly as she looked up at him. "Knuckles, what is it?" She said stretching and yawning.

"There's a way." He said as he quickly got up and made his way over to where Sonic was sleeping.

"Way to what?" She blinked sleepily as she watched him shake Sonic.

Knuckles didn't answer her question. "Sonic wake up." he said in a desperate whisper.

Sonic rolled over sitting up. "What is Knuckles?" He said with a sigh.

Rouge watched as Knuckles spoke with the blue leader, and in a few moments Sonic was on his feet as if energy had suddenly filled him from head to toe. He quickly dashed out of the tent. Knuckles began waking Tails and Amy. Rouge sighed laying back down, but before she could close her eyes Knuckles was leaning over it. "Come on get up." He said gently.

"Why should I? You were ignoring me." She said in a pretend pout.

"I'm sorry." He said nuzzling her cheek. "I'm in a hurry."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" She asked.

"Because I may of come up with a way to save us." He said gently running his hand down her face.

"You're gonna save us all?" She said blushing as he pulled her up gently into his lap.

He smiled. "No, that's Amy's dream, much too big for me." He kissed her cheek. "I'm not trying to save the whole world, just one." He said as he looked into those blue eyes of hers.

"I hope this is urgent." Espio said as he sat by Silver. "What is this about, and why couldn't it wait till morning?"

Silver held his decorum, but only by a thread. "I do not know, Sonic said it was very important." He was just as tired as the others but he knew that if Sonic woke them all that it must of been very imperative.

The other sector members were just as sleepy and groggy as Sonic stood at the front of the group taking to Knuckles before he moved to sit with the others. Knuckles looked around at each one. "I know a way the plan can still work." Every head jerked up. "Tikal." He looked the peach echidna.

"Y-Yes?" She stood up out of habit.

"That song you sang, it was the song of spring correct?"

"Yes, the song of our clan." She nodded slightly.

"How is a song going to help us?" Ash asked sarcastically.

"It's going to give us strength to fight ten thousand bots that's how."

"What?" Jet was the first to jerk to his feet. "How is this done?"

Knuckles couldn't make out their questions as everyone began to ask at once and all their voice meshed together. "Be still." He said calmly waiting for them to settle. "Let us explain." He said moving to stand by Tikal's side. He looked at her. "Do you remember what you told me a long time ago?" He watched her fully. "About the strength of the master emerald?"

"Yes," Her eyes widened as she realized his plan. "It could work, the stone could give us the power we need to fight the robots long enough for our plan to work." She said with hope in her eyes.

Knuckles turned to look at the others who were listening carefully. "There's only one thing left to do then." He looked to Tails. "You and the other techs should have no problem whipping up a emerald locater." He had a slight smile. "After all you made up plenty of them back in the old days."

"Of course Knuckles." Tails nodded with an unmistakable hope in his eye.

"I think this would be a good opportunity for something else as well." Espio said as he moved to stand beside Knuckles at the front of the group. "In our original plan we were going to have five sector members go in after the real Core." He said looking at each sector in turn. "When the techs have finished the emerald locater someone will have to go and get it. I propose that the team that will be going after the Core should be the ones to go after the emerald."

"Why is that?" Nack asked as he stood beside Silver. His curiosity was peeked.

"We may all be a single unit, but the five sectors have only been together for little over a week, we agreed that the squad that would go after the Core would consist of one member from each sector so as to balance the knowledge of the bots and the balance of a functioning team." By this Espio meant that since there were five sectors, and in each sector five professions, it would be wise for the Core squad to have a leader, a second, a medic, a tech, and an intel. "If we permit the Core squad to go after the emerald it will allow them a chance to work together, and perfect the skills they will need to perform as a unit when it comes time to go after the Core." Espio stood tall as he looked down on his own sector, for he cared for them more than any. "They will only have one chance and the more they work together the better their chance will be. We can't afford carless mistakes, and this training will help weed those out."

"I agree." Jet seconded the motioned. "It will bring better luck."

Silver also stepped forward to agree. "Are we all in agreement then?" He heard no objection so he nodded. "Very well, we head back to the North base now so our techs can begin their work."

"What about the rest of us?" Charmy piped in.

"The rest must decided which member of their sector they will send with squad."


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Alright here's the next chapter everyone. I tried to make it a little bit longer. I hope this will solidify some relationships and make things clear as to how emotions are playing their role in the core squad and in the members being left behind. Let me know what you think, I'll try to update soon!

**R&R!**

**Chapter 28**

It had been decided, at last the Core squad had been formed. The leader was East Sector's Shadow, Second was Amy of Central, Tikal of the West was to be the medic, North sector member, Marine would be the team tech, and Strom of the South Sector would be their muscle. The techs had finished an emerald locater and the time to obtain the master emerald had come.

The squad stood outside, somewhere saying their farewells, while others were lost in the memory of how they ended here and now.

_"You will be West Sector's representative." Espio had his hand on her shoulder. There was no objections by any of the other members. "You know more about this emerald than anyone, they will need you if something happens, you may be the only one that would know what to do."_

_Tikal seemed a little faint hearted and nervous. She didn't like being separated from her family. She was afraid, but she wouldn't say such things as she knew it would only worry her friends. "Okay I will go Espio." She nodded._

_Mina and Honey wrapped their arms around her comfortingly. They knew how scared she was as her eyes brimmed with tears. "Don't cry Tikal it will be alright." Honey petted her head._

_"Yes, listen to Honey, things are going to be fine you'll see, the others will protect you, just as we do. You'll be alright I promise." Espio's second was very protective of Tikal, she was like her little sister, and she was always trying to protect her._

Silver had moved away from the other leaders as they continued to talk. His medic, Blaze, had said she need a quick word. "What is it Blaze?" He asked.

"You need to at least say something to her before she leaves." She said with one hand on her hip.

"Is this what you wanted to talk about." He sighed turning to walk away.

"Hey," She spoke in a tone that only Silver ever heard, it was like that of a sister, who knew just as much as he did, if not more. "Don't turn away like its nothing, like she's nothing." She approached him still talking to his back. "True this team is made of strong members, but there is no guarantee Silver, no one can promise that she will come back with them. Don't you think you at least owe her a farewell?" She took a step closer. "Don't you think you owe yourself the same?" The white hedgehog sighed as he looked to the side. Blaze knew that sigh well, it was one of defeat. "I'll distract the others long enough for you to talk to her." Blaze walked over to the others gathering them around, she called the squad members closest, but told Tikal to wait there as she was only going to give some medic tips that they might be able to use.

Tikal stood quietly with one hand resting over the other. She felt a prescience behind her and looked over her shoulder. "Silver?"

"Hello Tikal." He said moving to stand by her side. "I...I just wanted to tell you goodbye." He said as his eyes looked to the side his cheeks had a slightly red blush. "And to be careful, you must come back safely."

Tikal looked at him blankly for a moment her eyes only staring at his face. She looked over at the others, all were focused on Blaze's speech. Tikal looked back to Silver who's eyes were still averted to the side. She moved in close and leaned up on her toes and kissed Silver right on the cheek. Silver's eyes widened as his face turned completely red. He looked down at her. Tikal was smiling a very small and soft smile. Her eyes were half closed and her own cheeks blushed bright red. This time her eyes were averted slightly to the side. "Okay...I will definitely come back."

Silver was dumbfounded as he stared down at the peach echidna, Blaze had finished her short lesson and the others began to break back up. Silver made eyes with Tikal one last time. "Then I will see you soon Tikal." He said in a gentle and almost excited tone as he turned and began to move back toward the others.

Tikal just smiled as she blushed watching him leave. Mina and Honey had come to and see their sister off one last time. "Hey are you alright?" Honey put her hand on her head. "Your cheeks are red, are you getting sick?"

"I'm just nervous." She said with a smile as she touched her own cheek. "And happy."

Storm stood with his South Sector team mates. He was listening to their encouragement. "You're the best muscle out of all the sectors." Wave said as she stood with her arms crossed. "You're not only very strong, but you can also fly."

Jet was on his other side. "Yes, this is why we are sending you Storm. You bring valuable strengths and skills to the squad that no one else can."

"Not to mention you kick serious robot ass." Fiona said with her arms behind her head. "They'll need those fists of yours." She smiled.

"And your brains as well." Cosmic said standing with Ray.

"That's right." Ray agreed. "You're the only one with expert knowledge on taking down a shrewder bot."

Jet but his wing on the shoulder of his friend. "Make sure you get back here, we'll need you in the fight for the Core." The others gathered closer showing their support.

"I will return." Storm said strongly. "I'll make sure the emerald returns as well, we will all have our chance at the Core." He knew his team had faith in him and he would not let them down.

"Marine, I can't think of any tech better suited to be on the Core Squad." Tails congratulated the raccoon. "You'll know just what to do if anything happens to the emerald tracker. Do you have some spare parts for it?"

"Course." She smiled. "Thanks for seeing me off. Most of my team members seem a little busy at the moment." She looked up at Tails. "Will you be glad to see me go?" She asked quietly.

"What?" He looked down so he could see her eyes. "Why would I be glad to see you go?"

"Oh it's nothing...I just well...I think I'm gonna miss you Tails." She said smiling up at him now.

"I'll miss you to Marine..." He blushed rubbing the back of his head.

"Okay I'll see you soon then." She kissed her two fingers and pressed them against his forehead. "Hold on to that for me until I get back okay." She turned and walked off to join the rest of Core squad.

_"Shadow you should be the one to go." Ebony said as she and the other East Sector members sat around the fire pit in the entrance hall of the Northern base. _

_Void seconded the idea. "I agree, the squad will need someone that can demand respect and implement control. You will bring these things, and keep them from falling apart at the seams."_

_"I think it's a load of bullshit. Anyone can do that." Ash said as he crossed his arms._

_Ebony looked at Scourge. "What do you think?"_

_"I think Shadow is just a good a choice as any of us, and I have selfish motives anyway." He said folding his arms and leaning back._

_"Yeah the tail of that fox." Ash scoffed._

_"Well then we are in a majority agreement." Ebony turned back to her leader. "Will you represent East Sector?"_

_Shadow only nodded. He could not complain, what right would he have too._

Ash approached his leader as Shadow was walking toward the other Core team members thinking of how he had been chosen for this. "Shadow." He said stopping him and making full eye contact. "Don't screw up." Ash looked at Amy. "She's not worth the rest of the world, if you asked her she would tell you the same. So keep your shit in check out there and bring back that rock."

Shadow narrowed his eyes. "Ash I hear you." He moved closer so that he and the mongoose were face to face. "Now hear me, if you ever talk to me like this again I will not hesitate to beat your face in, no matter where we are or who's watching. I will not be spoken too like that by the likes of you."

Ash just smiled slyly. "That's more like it."

_"I want to represent our sector in the Core squad." Amy was standing in front of her team members._

_"Amy, I say no." Sonic said with a shake of his head. "I think you've been through enough already. With the mission to the South and then all the way to East and North. It's only been eleven days you don't need to be traveling again so soon."_

_"Been through enough?" She repeated. "I haven't 'been through' anything." She said with her full devotion. "I've accomplished plenty of things. I haven't done anything that I didn't want to do. I wanted to go to South Sector, and I wanted to go the East, and it was my idea to come here." She said without any sign of backing down. "I want this more than anyone else. I have to see this through, if you really care about me Sonic you will let me do this."_

_Sonic looked at his other three team members and each in turn nodded. The blue hedgehog sighed. "Looks like even when I'm supposed to be the leader my second can still call the shots once in a while." He said looking at her. "But I guess that's your right sometimes, you were born to be a leader Amy, it seems a cruel trick of fate that you are a second." He said with a bittersweet smile._

Amy stood with her eyes fixed on the horizon. She knew it would be a dangerous mission. No one knew just what lay out there now. "Amy." She heard her name being called. She saw her fearless leader standing beside her.

"Sonic..." She faced him. She felt a little bit bad for him. She'd been kind of harsh during her demand for centrals representation. More and more she realized that Sonic only wanted to protect her, that he only wanted her to be safe and close by. The pain in his eyes was almost more than she could bare.

"It'd be a lie if I said I wanted you to go, but it'd also be a lie if I said anyone else but you could do this." He took her hand in his. "I have faith in you, I know I don't show it as often as I should, but it's because...I'd do anything to keep you by my side." He said looking ahead as she was doing. "I've never stopped loving you, even when you said you didn't love me anymore." He laced his fingers with hers. "And I'll never stop caring. You are like one of those butterflies I see in the spring. You have the same wings, yours may be invisible, but their colors are just as bright and they make me smile and make me want to go on." He finally looked at her. "I'm sorry for holding on too tightly to you, I didn't mean to crush your wings. I should know better, the more you hold on to a butterfly the more you destroy the very thing that makes it beautiful. I didn't realize I was destroying the most precious part of you. The part that no one else can see but me." He took her hand and lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of it. "I love you."

Amy blushed. "S-Sonic." She met his eyes. They were deep in a way that she had never noticed until now. In that moment she felt her heartstrings being tugged at. He loved her more than she ever realized and saw things in her that no one else did. He saw her as his own special treasure. She had always wanted to be such a thing to him, but now for this to come, wasn't it to late...wasn't she too far gone to return to the arms of the cobalt hedgehog? Now she wasn't so sure...if given the choice would she stay with this blue hedgehog that loved her so. "I will miss you." She finally embraced him her arms wrapped around him in a loving manner, for in that moment she did love him, maybe not the way he loved her, but she knew that right then and there she felt drawn to him. "I promise I will see you again. I can do this, keep your faith in me okay." She said with tear filled eyes as she hugged him tightly.

"Always." He whispered.


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N:** Well my most wonderful loyal readers, here's the next chapter. Sorry, I know I'm overdue. I tried to make this one a little longer for you. I hope you like it, and I'll update ASAP!

**R&R PLZ :D**

**Chapter 29**

The squad had set out four days ago. It was a long haul trip. The locater was sending them West, according to the device, the emerald lay somewhere deep in the Western Jungle. They had past the halfway mark at last, and in two days time would be in the territory of the West. The first few days had been a heart pounding trek. Though the squad had managed to avoid any robotic confrontation, there had been some close calls. Out there in the open there was little to hide them and much had depended on their timing and their gear.

Ray had made one of their most useful pieces of gear. It was a choker-like collar. If the squad was in a vulnerable area with no place to hide and no other options they could press the button on the collar and it would project a shield. It wasn't a shield against attacks, but one to prevent them. The shield masked their body heat, which was how a bot usually went about finding living targets. The only drawback was the shields life span only lasted five minutes. Then it would take two days to recharge.

The day was long and the evening seem to come slowly. The group had decided to stop for the day. They were resting in a small nudge of brush, several boulders, and a few leave less trees. Shadow was talking with Marine as they discussed the best route to get to the West. Amy was gathering some small twigs and branches to make a fire. Tikal was leaning against the trunk of a tree. Everyone seemed busy, she noticed then that Strom had sat down and was leaning against a bolder. She walked over to him and sat down at his side. "We are much closer now." Strom said as if he knew that Tikal need comforting. "You will feel a bit better once you're in your own territory."

Tikal nodded as she sat there with her hands resting on her knees. Her fingers on her left hand lifted and toyed with the collar on her neck. "Strom, is this what gives South Sector such an advantage over shredder bots?" She remembered that she once noticed all South sector members wore a collar just like this one.

"Yes, it is our most precious weapon against them." He said looking down at her. "The most critical difference in shredder bots versus other bots is their body heat perception. For some reason they have developed an extreme sensitivity to heat and it makes them tremendously hard to elude." He adjusted his own collar. "With these collars and very homed skills, we can give ourselves enough time to destroy these bots with ease. But without team work and expertise, the collars are useless in a battle." He looked at the wristbands. "They're like the wrist bands West sector uses against drill bots. Those are your most precious weapons aren't they?"

"Yes." She nodded realizing what he meant.

Marine and Shadow had finished talking and the raccoon went to help Amy with the small fire she was working on. "Looks like Tikal is well taken care of. I know her sector worries about her a lot."

Amy nodded. "Yes she's very sweet and gentle. She's not like most of us. We've all hardened since the war...but it's like the war hasn't touched her. I think everyone wants to protect her...protect that innocence that makes us all believe we can make the world like that again...innocent."

Marine went and sat on the other side of Tikal. It wasn't long before the three were asleep. Amy sat close to the fire watching it. She couldn't sleep, since they had left out on the journey to the West she had barely slept. "You don't sleep much lately." Shadow stood on the other side of the fire.

"It doesn't come so easily like before." She said looking at the flames.

"I'm sorry." He said turning and jumping up onto one of the nearby boulders.

Amy's ears perked. Had that been what she thought? Did this cold hedgehog just apologize. She never thought he was capable. She looked up at him as he stared off into the distance. Watching him like that reminded her of their relationship before all this, before she knew what his touch felt like. She felt herself being drawn to that person. She moved to jump up beside him. He didn't turn to look at her, he only sat down with his arm resting across his knee. She sat beside him and as they sat there like that a memory ran across her mind, back when they were still trying to make it to the North.

_"What is so special about me?" She asked._

_"What?" Shadow jerked back in her direction suddenly caught off guard._

_"Why do you reserve all of your angst and cruelty only for me?" She asked closing her eyes and laying back. _

_His eyes slowly went from left to right in thought. "Because you're the most annoying."_

_"No." She shook her head. "It's because you know I'm the only one who will take it and still treat you exactly the same no matter what the hell you do." She cracked one eye open. "You just know I won't change."_

_"That...is true." He said in thought._

Her own words echoed in her mind_. "I'll still treat you exactly the same no matter what. You know I won't change."_ She thought about those words and looked at him and thought about the person she had always tried to be. Though she felt Shadow may have betrayed her in some ways that did not mean she should do the same to him. She remembered how she had cared about him before, about what happened to him, as a person, as a being living on this earth that had a right to live, and live well. "You know...I don't think things have changed between us that much." She said relaxing for the first time in a while.

"What makes you say that?" He asked looking at her as she rested beside him now.

"Do you remember once I told you that sometimes you just have to trust people and believe that they will do the right thing." She said looking at him with somewhat of a half smile.

"Whether they want to or not." He repeated her words from that same memory, and then his own. "So you trust me?" He laid back on the rock.

She smiled fully at ease with him now. "Not a chance." She laid back next to him.

Tails was sitting in the lower branch of a dead tree, just outside North base. He was looking towards the west.

_"Holds this for me until I get back."_

Her words echoed in his head as his two fingers touched his forehead where Marine had left her kiss.

"Tails!" the fox was so startled by Honey that he fell out the tree face first into the snow. "Are you alright?" Honey knelt down by his side gently lifting him up. "I'm sorry." She said with a bit of a blush as she looked into his blue eyes. "I didn't mean to interrupt your thinking."

He blushed a bit himself when he saw how close her face was to his. "H-Honey."

"Yes Tails?" She said sitting up and moving so she was beside him her head nuzzling under his chin.

"Wh-What are you doing?" He said as he felt her warm fur snuggled up against his.

"I'm cuddling you." She said plainly as she purred.

"Um Honey." He said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Why are you um..well I was wondering if you could tell me...I mean um-"

"Why am I so forward towards you?" She said looking up at him. He just nodded as his cheeks stayed red. "Because I know you'll never be forward like this towards me." His eyes widened a bit as she continued. "I could die tomorrow and if that happens I want the last thought that runs through my head to be of how I spent my final moments with you." She nestled her cheek against his still purring and smiling. "Even if you don't return my feelings, I'm going to cuddle and purr to you until it's all over." Her eyes saddened just a bit. "Or at least until Marine comes back." She said resting her head in his lap. Tails sighed and looked down at Honey as she purred her tail swishing back in forth with content. Thought she didn't know he was smiling, he couldn't help but let a little smile slip. _'Such a silly cat'_, he thought as he gently stroked her head.

"Is this really going to work?" Ray asked as he watched Ash put the finishing touches on a chemical brew he had in a rather large beaker.

"It better." Ash said as he stared at the mixture. His eyes only turned slightly to stare at a dead robot that lay in the corner.

"If this works then we will have made an alternate fuel source." Ray said hopefully.

"If only we had worked it out sooner." Ash grumbled. "If the squad could of taken the Tornado they would be back by now."

"They used up all most all the fuel with the trip from central to the West and then all the way to the North." He sighed thinking of how Central has rescued West Sector.

"If we finish this mixture we may save them some time yet." Ash said as he continued to mix.

"It's not much further now. " Marine said as she stood by Shadow and Amy. "According to the locator it's only half a day's travel away now."

The squad had made it safely into the West territory. Tikal had been a tad less jumpy now that she was in familiar surroundings. Ever since they had entered the West she had been stopping at certain spots showing them secret stashes of medicine, food, and even a little gear. She felt useful at last. "Storm would you like anything else to eat?" Tikal asked.

The albatross just smiled. "No thank you Ms. Tikal that last helping of dried fruit filled me right up." He said in a warm gruff voice. She'd grown close to him as he was always so kind. Storm had seen the same innocence in Tikal as everyone else did and he could not help but want to protect her. He stayed by her side constantly keeping a close eye on her, like one does with a child.

Marine went back to talk with Tikal as Amy and Shadow walked together in the front. "I can't believe it...we're really almost there." Amy's eyes gave away her happiness.

"Relieved?" Shadow asked as they continued.

"Yes...very." she said still smiling.

"AH!" The scream came from Tikal.

The two hedgehogs turned quickly to see what was the matter. A shredder bot had dropped out of a tree and was making an attack line straight for Tikal and Marine. Marine, being a quick thinker jumped up grabbing hold of a tree branch with one hand and holding on to Tikal's with the other. "Don't let go."

The bot was about to lift upward to grab them when Storm tackled the bot from the side. He let out a battle screech that sounded like that of a hawk as he brawled with the robot. "Oh no." Tikal said with a gasp.

"Don't worry about him just yet." Marine said as she tried to pull up. "We still have troubles of our own." Right below them another bot had appeared. Tikal grab the branch!" Marine had lifted her high enough to reach out.

Shadow and Amy were now attacking the second bot, trying their best to distract it long enough for Marine and Tikal to get to safety.

"I-I got it." Tikal said grabbing the branch. Marine let go as Tikal took the branch, but her grip was not tight enough as she slipped. "AH!"

"Gottcha!" Marine hung upside down with her legs around the tree branch. "I got you." She said holding on with both hands. "Don't you let go." She was attempting to pull her up when suddenly she felt something slipping. "Oh no." She looked up and saw it. The tracker, it was slipping out of her belt. "No, no, no." She said as she began to pull with all her might to get Tikal up. "No!" The device couldn't hold any longer. It hurtled to the ground and the shredder bot stepped on it, crushing it into a thousand pieces.

The black hedgehog hit the bot again with his cannon ball form, but it was only disorienting the bot. "Shadow," Amy took a deep breath. "I think, if we hit it together."

He looked at her taking a quick breath. "Think you can do it?" He asked dodging a blade.

"Yes!" She took several steps back and then jumped into the air. Shadow did the same. The two powered up and formed two perfect cannon balls. They hit the bot together grinding against it until suddenly BOOM! The bot exploded. The two cannon balls ricocheted off each other landing back a few yards, Shadow on his feet, Amy on her butt.

Storm had just about finished off the bot. In a desperate attempt the bot looked up at the two in the tree and began to run for it, but suddenly two giant wings were holding it by the arms. "I'll never let you hurt them." Storm head bashed the bot and it went fly through the air and landed as a pile of scrap at the base of a tree a few yards away.

"You two can come down now." Strom said looking up.

"After all the trouble we went through getting up here, I don't know about that." Marine said in sullen voice.

"What's wrong?" Amy said joining them with Shadow just behind her.

Tikal looked very sad. "Because of me...I made her drop the emerald locater."

Marine jumped down. She was knelt over the pieces of the small tracker. "I-I can't repair this..."

"What will we do now...?" Amy said with a hopeless sigh.

"I-I'm sorry." Tikal was still in the tree, her eyes filled with tears.

Strom flapped his large wings and took her in them and gently floated back down to the ground, putting the echidna down on her own two feet. "Listen to me." He said kneeling down. "All that matters is that we're all still alive." He put a large wing on her head. "I would crush a thousand trackers with my own wing if it meant keeping you alive, or anyone one else." The others looked up as he turned to speak aloud to them as well. "A tracker can be replaced or remade. A person has only one life." His wing was still on her head. "I find that much more important to protect."

The others nodded in agreement. Though they all knew they were lucky. No one knew what to do now. "It's getting dark." Shadow said as he looked up at the sky. They had intended to travel all night to get to the emerald faster but now what was the point? "Let's make camp and rest until we think of something."

Marine and Storm had gotten some fire wood and were attempting to get a fire started, while Tikal stuck close to Storm. Amy had found her way to be sitting on the very top branch of a nearby tree. The area was full of trees, as they were getting deeper into the jungle. She was staring up at the clear sky. "At least I have seen this sky now." She said with a gentle sigh.

"Haven't you always seen it?" She turned to see Shadow standing at the other end of the branch. "It's the same sky you see anywhere."

"Same as always Shadow, totally close minded." She said looking away from him and back up.

"Then why don't you open it up a bit." He said sitting next to her. "What's so special about 'this' sky?" He asked.

"It's different from all the others." She said pulling her knees to her chest.

"Others?" He asked with a blinking bewilderment.

"Yeah." She thought back. "The very first sky, it was always perfectly light blue. The color a sky is suppose to be." She closed her eyes and pain crossed her face as she remembered the end of the world and the end of the first sky. "Then the sky of Central. It's blue like the old sky, but it's a sadder blue, and you don't see many stars." She thought about her mission to the South, and how she and Rouge had experienced that sky together. "The Southern sky, it's like a blue and purple velvet. You can see every star in existence there. It's beauty in natures rawest form." Then she thought of East sectors sky. She wished it had been under better terms that she'd seen that sky for the first time, for it had been as East sectors prisoner. "It's darker, with two shades of very deep blue, and I could still see a lot of stars, it was a very mysterious sky." She said looking at him as he was now staring upwards. "Then the North. It's a solid shade of dark velvet blue and you can see the milky-way perfectly from there..."

"And this sky?" He asked.

"Just look," She said turning her eyes to it once more. "It's perfectly black. It's dark and dotted with a few lights here and there. It's a bewitching sky to me. It's like it's hiding a secret in its darkness."

"Why do you look at these skies so intently?" He asked at first, but then he thought for a moment. "I guess maybe that doesn't matter since now you've seen them all."

"No, I haven't." She said with the stars shining in her eyes as she stared at them.

"What sky is left?"

"The last one, the one that will be there when the world is right again and all is as it should be...the final sky I want to see more than any other...the seventh sky."


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N:** Ok my wonderful readers, here's the next chapter. I tried to make this one a little longer. I hope you like it. I really hope I get some feedback on this one, this was one of my more intense chapters and I'd love to know how I did. Thanks everyone!

**R&R! ^_^**

**Chapter 30**

_"Tikal...Tikal..." The peach echidna tossed and turned in her sleep. She could hear the voices whispering her name. "Tikal.." Her brow furrowed as she tried to concentrate on the voice. Who was calling her?_

_"Who's calling me?" She said in her dreams. She looked around, she realized she was in the western jungle. "W-Who keeps calling me?" she said turning around and around looking for the source of the voice. "W-Why are you calling?"_

_"Because," She heard the voice coming from the direct west. "You are the only one that can still hear me Tikal." She closed her eyes in her dream and then when she opened them she saw before her the master emerald. "M-Master Emerald."_

_"Many have suffered through this turmoil, your purity is one of the very few that has remain untouched by the havoc that surrounds you. That is why you can hear my whisper."_

_"W-What have you come to tell me?" She asked staring up at the great gem._

_"I'm going to tell you where to find me."_

"Tikal wake up." Storm touched her forehead gently with the tip of his large wing.

Her eyes opened slowly as she realized where she was now. "Storm...?" She suddenly sat up. "Storm!" She said standing up quickly.

"What is it?" He asked with his head tilted to the side.

"I-I know where it is!" She turned looking at the others. "I know where the Master Emerald is!"

It wasn't even an hour past Tikal's waking that the squad was moving out. There was no room for doubt in a time like this. Marine had held on to the pieces of the tracker. Truth be told gear was sentimental to her, and she put more faith in it than she did things like dreams. She was a lover of facts and mechanics. The first to notice was Amy. "Hey Marine." She walked in the back by the young raccoon. "Are you alright?"

"Yes I suppose." She said looking to the side. "I just have a hard time with this kind of thing."

"What kind of thing?" Amy asked gently, realizing it was a touchy subject.

"Following a dream?" She said in sarcasm. "Dreams aren't real. You can't touch a dream. It's not like life at all, you can't depend on them, they aren't something you can control or take to your advantage. It's insane to think a dream could do something like this."

"You've been a tech for too long, I think maybe the gear is...making your heart turn to metal." Amy smiled, somehow those words didn't sound like an insult, but a concern. "Dreams are so much more than that."

"How so?" She asked, this time with somewhat of an interest.

"What do you think drives us? Inspires our Sectors, raises our hopes, and holds this squad together? Dreams...the dream of a better life, a better world...dreams of love and joy and so much more." She thought back to many things that had happened, and how in spite of it all, she never gave up on her dreams. "So you see in a way, dreams are very real. You may not be able to touch a dream, but you can feel it. Even though you might not understand it, dreams are very important...without them what reason would there be for all that we are doing...and for all our sacrifices?"

Before Marine could conjure a response a noise was heard from the front. "Oh no not again." Marine sighed, she knew that the yell had come from a certain echidna.

"What's happened?" Amy was the first to come to the front to see what was wrong. "Where's Tikal?"

Storm was bent over the edge of what looked almost like a bottomless pit. Just below his grasp was Tikal. "Storm can you reach her?" Shadow said as he stood on the other side.

"Almost." He said leaning a little further down. Tikal was holding on to a root that stuck out from the side of the pit.

Marine came up beside Amy. "This is a drill bot nest." She said with a worried tone. "We've got to get her out of there quickly. This nest might not be abandoned." No sooner had she spoke these words the sound of a drill bot could be heard in the distant.

"It's coming, hurry up!" Marine yelled at Strom.

"I'm doing the best I can!" He said angrily.

"Why don't you just fly in there and get her?" Marine's tone was in haste.

"The pits not big enough, I could never spread my wings enough to fly, we'd both fall to our deaths." He was still trying to reach for the echidna.

"We're out of options, stand back, all of you." Shadow said with a wave of his hand.

The others moved back. Amy looked at him confused. She watched him as he took a step back and then suddenly she realized what he was about to do. "Shadow no!" She took a step forward but it was too late Shadow had jumped into the hole.

She was about to run to the pit when Storm grabbed her wrist. "He said to stay back."

"But he-" Before she could finish a noise broke in. It sounded like grinding. All eyes were on the hole. Within the next moment Shadow shot out of the pit with Tikal in his arms. He had jumped in at just the right angle so that his feet were against the wall. He then ran straight up the side of the pit grabbing Tikal as he exited the top. He landed on one knee in front of the hole.

"Thank you Shadow." TIkal said hugging him gratefully.

He nodded. "Strom, come and take her." he didn't move as Storm came towards them. "Be careful." He motioned to Tikal's leg. "It might be broken."

Storm's eyes whipped to Tikal who only nodded to confirm what Shadow told him. He then lifted her very gently and began to move forward again. Marine followed behind him as Amy came up to Shadows side and knelt down. "Are you alright?" She asked her heart still pounding madly.

"Do I hear concern in your voice?" He asked with a bit of a smile as he took a breath. The vertical run had taken much energy from him.

"Of course I'm concern you idiot." She said helping him up. "You just jumped into a Drill bot nest." She stayed by his side as they began to follow the others. "You could at least warn us next time."

He just looked forward. "Why, you don't trust me remember." He moved faster to take the lead again. Amy was left behind. She couldn't believe it, though she realized she had said that to him before, hearing those words from him felt like a knife to her heart.

Once they had made it a safe distance away from the nest, the group stopped to rest. Marine was the first to speak. "We can't go on like this." She said looking t Tikal. "Every time we move we cause her pain, if she goes on like that we risk permanent damage."

"N-No." Tikal said shaking her head. "We can't stop we have to keep going, what happens to me doesn't matter, without the master emerald the others are lost." She said with tears in her eyes.

"The others are far away from here." Storm was setting her down gently. "I can do nothing to protect them now, my concern rests only with you now." He said bending down. "We cannot risk more injury."

Shadow nodded. He approached Tikal and knelt down in front of her. He put a hand a top hers. "Tikal, do you still remember the way to the emerald?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Can you tell me how to get there?" He asked. She nodded and very carefully explained the route she'd been following. "You must stay where you are Tikal. The jungle is getting thicker, and it will make it difficult for a group to continue on anyhow. The rest of this journey is one to be made by one or two members." He looked to Storm. "You and Marine will stay here with her, while Amy and I go the last of the way together. If something happens to one of us the other will be able to bring back the stone." He lifted. "Amy let's move."

"W-What if something happens to both of you." Marine purposed.

Shadow looked over his shoulder. "If we are not back by tomorrow night, then assume the worst." He made his gaze to the albatross this time. "If neither of us return, you are in command, make sure the rock gets back to North." Storm nodded as Shadow turned and Amy followed him without question into the jungle.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Tikal stared up at the night sky her eyes glistened with worry and wonder. "They're fine." She heard Storms gentle and gruff voice as he sat beside her.

"Yes..." She agree looking at the stars. "In my dreams...I was told to follow that straight line of stars...I'm sure Shadow is looking up at them now...following them to the emerald."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Amy followed Shadow as he moved quickly through the dense jungle. She'd never seen so much life before. Most places were more barren from the robots destruction, but not here. The drill bots that lived here preferred the dense jungle, as its fallen branches and other plant life made the perfect cover for their dens.

She would not admit it, but she was very tried. The long trek was getting to her, but she followed on watching Shadow as he stopped every so often looking up between the tightly knit branches of the trees. She'd realized that Tikal must of given him some stars to follow. She went to jump over a large root, when she looked ahead she saw Shadow moving up into the top of a tree. He was getting a better look of the map. She took the moment to lean against the trunk of the tree he was in and take her breath.

Shadow stared up at the stars, he was making a mental note in his mind as to how close they were. He looked down seeing Amy leaning against the tree. She didn't have to say anything, he knew how tired she was and that even if he offered she wouldn't stop moving forward. He jumped down and stood before her. "We're close now. It won't be much further." He said looking at her.

"Alright, let's keep going." She said as she pushed herself back up to her full height.

"Don't bother." He approached her. "Get on my back." He said turning so his back was to her.

"I won't , I can do it myself." She said whipping her eyes back to their path.

"I don't care if you can do it yourself or not, I'm going to run, and even if you were at your full strength you couldn't keep up." He turned and took her wrist pulling her to him. "Stop acting like a stubborn brat, we'll get there fast this way." He pulled her on to his back. She blushed a little as she felt him pull her arms around his neck. "Hold on to me, we don't have time for injuries if you fall." He said preparing to run. Amy closed her eyes tightly as she clenched her arms around his neck, her face gently pressed into the curve of his neck. She didn't know right away when they had taken off. She'd expected it to be bumpy and uncomfortable, that his movements would jar her insides, but it wasn't anything like that. She cracked open one eye and she was surprised.

It was like they were surrounded by smears of color. It was all the colors of the jungle passing by. "Wow...Shadow..." She didn't hear an answer. "Shadow?" She looked over his shoulder at his face. She realized his eyes were glowing. They were bright red, unblinking, and more focused than anything she'd ever seen. She only saw these eyes for a moment before they closed. Suddenly they had stopped. She looked around as the smeared colors took on shapes. The jungle around them was becoming whole again. Shadow let her down off his back. "I'm sorry I didn't answer you." He said as he took a few steps forward. "When in hyper speed I have to put all my focus into where I'm going, or else I could hit something. Especially in such a dense place." He said jumping over a very large bolder. Amy followed him.

"How far have we come?" She said landing on the other side.

"We're here." In front of them was a small pool of water and pouring into it was a fairly sized waterfall.

"It's amazing." She said looking at the fall. It was indeed lovely, the area around the pool was not as dense as the rest of the jungle. She moved to the water. "Wow...Shadow look." the edge was cover with some small trees trying to grow, and some flowers. "This is wisteria." She said looking at small vine growing up one of the trees. It produced a purple bouquet of flowers that almost look like a bunch of grapes. It was very lovely. "Cream and I use to grow lots of this in our garden." She had a sentimental smile on her lips as she stared at the flowered vine.

"You like it that much?" He said noticing the smile on her face. He hadn't seen her smile like that before.

"Yes...it's my favorite..." She answered.

Shadow looked up at the dark cave like mouth of the waterfall. "Come on," He said putting his hand on her shoulder. "We don't have any more time for sentiment." He said helping her up. "If we've found it, then we can do this later, now come on."

She nodded following him. The two began jumping from rock to rock moving up the side of the falls. It wasn't long before they reached the top. It was a long jump to the edge of the mouth of the cave. Shadow made the jump, but just barely. He turned and knelt down. "Amy come on," She didn't hesitate or question. She made the jump and took his hand. He pulled her up into his arms. It was as if the two were in sync with each other, knowing exactly what to do, trusting each other totally.

Shadow moved in close to her as the cave got darker. both of them tapped the collar and wrist clamps they were wearing. A bright green glow came from them, a rather inventive idea of Honey's. "See anything?" Amy said softly her breathing told Shadow she was growing tired still.

"Not yet." He answered looking carefully as they went.

Amy's eyes were tiered, but vigilant. The walls were covered in moss and in the middle the water ran fast and loud. She could barely make out shapes in the darkness. She took a step to the side and her foot hit the water. In less than a second she was plunged into the rushing stream. "SHADOW!" She yelled before her head sunk beneath the water.

"Amy!" Shadow ran down the side of the water, he jumped a few feet ahead, and could see the glow of Amy's gear as she came toward him. He jumped in holding on to the side of the rocky edge. He grabbed her as she passed by pulling her into him. "Gottcha." He pulled as hard as he could lifting her and himself out of the water. Amy coughed up water as she just barely supported herself on her hands, as she huffed. Shadow put his hand on her back. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes." She said shivering. She realized that she had almost died, but Shadow had saved her. The words he had said early crossed her mind, 'if one of us dies the other can bring back the emerald', if that was true then why had he risked his life for hers? Didn't that put his entire plan at risk? She felt his body close to hers and she blushed. He had protected her and she couldn't understand why. Amy looked up as she felt his hand move to her shoulder, suddenly something caught her attention. Shadow retracted his hand. "No." She said pulling his hand close. The light from his wrist clamp was making something glimmer. "S-Shadow look." She said. Just ahead of them there was something shining from the small bit of light. The two slowly got up and moved closer. it was getting brighter and brighter. When they reached it, Amy began pulling moss of the glowing object. When she finally ripped the last of it off, shinning so brightly in front o them was the master emerald, snug in the side of the cave wall. Amy's eyes glimmered. "We found it..." She suddenly looked weak and frail. "We finally...found it..."

"Amy!" Shadow caught her as she fainted.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Are you sure it's safe to mess with that thing?" Storm was sitting by Tikal as she slept. He was watching Marine who was opening up a dead drill bot. She'd found it a little ways out from where she, Storm, and Tikal had been staying. She'd somehow convinced Storm to drag it back for her. He was now wishing he hadn't.

"It hasn't been dead to long, it might be able tell us something." She said prying the back of it off. She was now able to access it's inner workings. She leaned into it. Storm thought for a moment that the raccoon might fall in. "Got it." She said coming out and back onto her feet.

"What is that?" He asked staring at the chunk of metal in her hand. It looked like a motherboard with a small screen on the corner.

"Somewhat of a 'tell all' chip." She said pulling a small screwdriver she had behind her ear. "I haven't had time to catch a fresh bot in some time, their information has probably changed a great deal." As she toggled with it the screen suddenly popped on. "Jackpot." She said as she stared at the screen.

"Well?" Strom said as he watched her stare at the screen. She didn't answer. Storm saw her face, he knew that expression all too well. "Marine, what's wrong?"

She looked up from the screen, her eyes large and full of fear. "The bots...they're all going to swarm tomorrow night..."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Um..." Amy's eyes creaked open. It was still dark, as her eyes blinked readjusting to the dim moon light, she realized that she was laying on her side. She sat up slightly to look around. She was beside the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. "What...happened." She looked to her other side and saw the master emerald resting beside her. "The emerald..." She sat up and moved to the water's edge. She splashed some onto her face. She realized now that she felt better. she'd been asleep. As she wiped the water from her face she noticed that she didn't see Shadow anywhere nearby. "Shadow?" She stood up, for a moment she started to get worried, but finally she saw him emerge from the dense edge of the jungle. "Shadow," She said with relief.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked standing in front of her now.

"Yes, I feel much better." She said her hands were resting gently at her side as she looked at the emerald sitting at her left. "We really did find it."

"Amy, come with me." He said picking up the large gem. He began to walk to the other side of the edge of the jungle. He entered first and before she could get there he'd come back out to lead her in. "This way." He said lifting a branch so she could enter.

When Amy ducked under his arm and the branch, what she saw on the other side made her gasp. "Shadow..." Before her was a very small clearing. In the center Shadow had started a little fire and the emerald rested beside it, and all around the enclosing tree walls and edges of the clearing, growing wild and covering everything, was wisteria. Amy gazed at the beauty of the clearing. She'd never seen so much wisteria in one place. "It's beautiful." She walked into the center of the small space. "It's so beautiful." She sank down by the fire as she continued looking around in awe. Shadow sat down by her his arm resting across one arched knee. The two took off their boots and rested comfortably by the warmth. "Why?" She looked at him. "Why did you...do this?"

"I didn't do much." He said looking at the fire. "It grew on its own, I just found the hiding place."

"Thank you." Her eyes were soft and sweet. "Shadow...I..." She didn't know what to say. Her hand moved to clench over her heart. "All this...it means so much to me."

"Hum?" He looked at her with his head tilted.

"That you would find a place like this for me...just because you knew how happy wisteria makes me..." She blushed. "N-No one's ever done anything like that for me."

He looked at her face. The flames were dancing in her eyes. They were too beautiful he just couldn't resist any longer. He suddenly took her wrist pulling her to him. "I know you said you would punish me if I ever distracted you again, but this time I can't stop." He said kissing her. Amy blushed her body tensing as she felt his warm lips against hers.

"Shadow," She said as he continued to kiss her neck. "No, don't ruin it." She blushed.

He looked into her eyes. "Hit me if you want, yell at me, do whatever you want. It's your fault." He said pulling her to him. "You let your guard down, and now I can't stop."

He turned her softly in his arms so she was facing the fire. His hand held her smoothly as he kissed down her neck and back. She tried to protest. "Shadow...stop...stop it please." She whispered as felt his lips on the small of her back and then he moved to her arms kissing up to her shoulder. She tried to move but his hands held her in place. She could barely stand it, the tenderness was so new to her. Who was this Shadow? He was always such a bully whenever he touched her like this in the past, but now...he was so gentle. It felt even better than before.

Shadow leaned her up so she was on her knees. He untied her upper armor and it fell to the ground. She blushed as all that was left was a piece of soft cloth she had wrapped around her breasts. His arms went around her gently placing his hands on her chest. "Ah." She gasped as she felt him begin to move them. He was still being so gentle as he kissed her ear and neck. His hands, they were big and warm as they tenderly massaged her. He undid the cloth and it dropped the ground. Amy clasped her hands round her naked breasts, but Shadow gently pulled them away and began to touch her again. "Ah, oh," She was a little louder, this feeling, his hands grasping her bare breast it was amazing, but Shadow wasn't content, he wanted to go further still. He moved one hand down her torso and between her legs. "Shadow no!" She protested a little louder.

Shadow's eyes widened a little as he felt between her legs. "You're already so..."

"No..." She said blushing with the back of one hand over her mouth. He saw the look in her eyes and it made him desire her even more. Such a look of innocence and pleasure, she was embarrassed by her own body's desires.

"Do not worry." He said gently pulsing his middle finger into her. "I will make you feel good." He said groping her breast with his other hand.

"A-Ah." She gasped in short breaths as he kissed at her neck. "Shadow," She blushed.

He laid her down on her side and then laid behind her. He wrapped one arm under her body and pressed one leg between hers. He turned her face so he could kiss her. She gasped as his kisses were so deep and his tongue was lapping at hers. She let out a yelp as she felt two of his fingers entering her again. She broke the kiss with him, her mouth ajar as she let out tiny moans. "Don't come yet, we haven't gotten to the best part." He said finally releasing her. She lay there breathing heavily. How could he say such things so easily? So embarrassing, and yet she liked it...was it really going to get even better?

Shadow was overtop her licking down her body. Suddenly she realized what he was about to do. "N-No, not that," She said sitting up, but it was too late. "A-AH, Shadow don't , not there!" She blushed and let out a groan. "A-Ah,"

His tongue tasted her and lapped at her restlessly. "You're body's very sensitive."

"Ah d-don't say that, while you're doing these kinds of things." She blushed as she had one hand on his head, the other at her lips.

"Should I stop then?" He asked after running his tongue up her once more.

"Ah," Both of her hands pushed his head further into her lap. Shadow took it as his answer and placed his hands on her hips as he pushed his tongue into her.

Amy blushed as she gasped and moaned at every stroke of his tongue. Her mind was starting to go blank as she thought, '_This is really happening...he's touching me...holding me...I can't stop...I don't want him to stop. Shadow, Shadow...please don't stop this time...'_

Shadow stopped as he heard her voice starting to get a little louder. "I'm not going to let you finish alone." He said pulling her to him. She blushed every time he spoke it was like his words intoxicated her, made her want to do whatever he told her too. He sat her in his lap. "It will hurt at first, but it will get better." He said. Amy let out a loud groan as she felt him inside her now. It hurt, oh how it hurt at first. She closed her eyes her face grimacing. Then she felt Shadow's warm muzzle on her shoulder. He was kissing her neck. He used one free hand to turn her chin a little closer so he could kiss her lips. _ 'Kissing me like this...its making me forget about the pain...' _When he released her lips he began a rhythm as he supported her by her hips. She blushed madly as she felt him pulsing inside her, it was starting to feel very good.

She placed the back of her hand to her lips; slightly biting her knuckles. Shadow pulled her hand away. "I won't let you hide how much you like it. I want to hear all of your voice." He kept her hand in his grip. "Tell me how much you like it. Say my name."

"Shadow," She gasped listening to whatever he said. "Shadow,"

"You'll only say my name." He said becoming a little more intense. "Don't ever call anyone else name like this."

"O-Only Shadow!" She said her head turning from side to side as he moved at pleasuring pace. "Ah, ah S-Shadow, Shadow." She said as she moved up and down on him. She felt his hands on her body as he lifted her and turned her so she was facing him. He entered her once more. "Ah!" She blushed as he suddenly took up the same pace. "S-So mean." She said in gasp.

"Admit it," He said nibbling at her breasts. "You want it, tell me how much you want only me and I'll show you ecstasy." He said in a teasing yet seductive tone.

"O-Only Shadow's ever made me feel like this." She said blushing as she felt his eyes on her. "N-No one else...I-I only want Shadow to do these kinds of things!" He thruster into her causing her to get louder. His rhythm was so wonderful, she wonder how he knew just where to hit and how to hold her just right. It felt to good, she couldn't hold it much longer. "S-Shadow...I can't take it, I'm-I'm going to," She blushed realizing what she was saying.

He leaned in kissing her. "Feel free to cum then." He whispered before suddenly taking one more raise in speed.

"AH!" She yelled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. It was so hot now, she was losing herself as his powerful strokes pressed against her insides. "UH-AH!" She felt it; those few split seconds of pure ecstasy, it was the most amazing thing her body had ever experience, just like he promised. Her voice and body quivered as she felt hot and sticky. He gently laid her down. He was breathing a little more heavily as well. She blushed as he laid down with his head on her chest. His body was covered in sweat and his eyes were warm. He moved upward and took her in his arms as they lay there.

This had been more than she'd ever intended. She'd given him her body and willingly so. She wanted to think about it, scold herself, remind herself of the consequences, and she wanted to be angry, but somehow she couldn't. She turned into him her face nuzzling into his chest. _'I won't think about that now...I won't think about anything...just let me lay here like this...in my own world even if it's for just a little while...for just a little while let me love this hedgehog.'_


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N: **Hey guys, I'm really sorry about the wait. I was totally drained after that last chapter, but I think I'm back on the wagon now. Hope this chapter is interesting and I do believe I'm going to try to wrap this up in about two or three chapters so hope the last couple will be good. Leave me a review. :)

**Chapter 31**

Shadow's eyes weren't open, but he could easily recall where he was and what had happened. It was still somewhat dark, they had only been asleep for a few hours. He recognized the time right away, not because it was still dark, but because of the scent. It was the tangy pungent smell of the fresh dew on the grass and the feel of the crisp air that one can only feel in that fleeting hour just before sunrise.

All of these scents faded as the sweeter smell of Amy's body took over him. He could feel her warm sleeping body as it was incased by his own. He nestle his muzzle into her neck, his lips parted slightly as he kissed her. His eyes opened and looked upon her face. He gently pushed a stray lock of hair from her face as he stared at it. Her expression was simple and innocent as she slept. "Innocence huh...I suppose I've taken that now as well." He was leaning in to kiss her temple, but stopped halfway.

His ears perked. He could hear the sound of rustlings nearby. He lifted carefully so as not to wake Amy and began to move toward the sound. His hands became fists as he took up the defensive when the sound was only a few feet away now. He stepped out into the larger clearing where the waterfall was. "Shadow!" He was surprised to see Storm before him.

"Storm," Shadow approached the bird.

"Did you find it?" He asked quickly.

"Yes, we have the emerald, but what are you-"

"You found it?" Storm blinked. "But...you haven't come back. You haven't even started back."

"Storm we some problems come up-"

"Why are you still here Shadow?" Storm's excitement of finding Shadow as fading into something else.

"Storm, why are you here?" Shadow asked as he heard the tone of Storm's voice change.

Storm saw it in the hedgehogs eyes and only needed only a minute to surmise what had happened. "Better yet what the hell are you doing here?" Storm approached him, when he didn't answer. "I said, what the hell are you doing here?" His focus was on Shadows delay.

"Storm." Shadow's anger was coming out now.

"The end of our world is coming, maybe you don't realize that she lives in this world too! If it goes so does she!" Storm's anger was rolling out in waves now. "Ash was right when he told me you couldn't be trusted alone with her, I thought I could trust you, I thought you showed initiative as the squad leader, the way you treated her as member of the group not as an individual. Then your reasons for taking someone with you when you went for the emerald, they were good, but I should of objected when you chose her."

"Shut up!" Shadow growled. He stood at his full height. "I'm a leader, and there is nothing that can stand between me and what I do. Not my idiot tech and not you!"

"While you're out here filling your selfish desires the bots are preparing to swarm." His brow furrowed with extreme anger.

"Wake the hell up Storm, they've been preparing." Shadow said roughly.

"And now they're ready." Storm said, his anger giving way to calm subjection. "They're going to swarm tonight." He had an almost disgusted look on his face. "And while all this is going on...here you are, as if she's all there is for you. You're killing her, and you don't even realize it. You're a slave to your feelings for her."

"You don't know anything!" Shadow was overcome with rage for Storm's words. "I'm not a slave to anything or anyone. I saw something I wanted and I took it!"

Shadow hadn't noticed at first, but the minute he'd responded, Storms eyes had moved to the side ever so slightly. "Well I guess this is all sorted then." Storm turned moving away.

Shadow looked over his shoulder to where Storm's eyes had been. "Amy." She stared at him unblinking. "Amy,"

"Don't." She walked past him.

"Amy, wait." He took her wrist.

"I said don't." She turned to him her eyes were glossed with sadness, but it was barred beneath her anger. "Like you said you got what you wanted, now let's get back to something that matters."

"Amy wait," When Shadow didn't let go Amy whipped around with a smack to his face.

She jerked away from him. "Wait for what? Wait for you to try to explain what I should of known from the beginning. That you're a liar and an asshole who used me? To try and cover that up with your words so can use me again, forget it Shadow. I'm done."

She began to walk away without looking back. Shadow put his hands to his head, he was out of options as she was disappearing. "Why can't you understand!"

"There's nothing to understand, you've made it perfectly clear to me."

"Can't you see what I'm saying?" He said his voice full of frustration. "I've been saying it since the journey to North." He didn't move. "I love you!"

Amy stood still for a moment as if having a subliminal blip, but then in the next moment she continued forward. Shadow looked to the side as she continued to the opposite side of the pool and into the forest. He returned to the spot where they had slept together. He picked up the master emerald in both hands lifting it on to his shoulder. He felt a strong wind, a wind to strong to be natural. He recognized it right away. "X" He moved out of the small clearing and back into the larger one. There before him was the X-Tornado, Tails was piloting, Ebony was on bored tending to Tikal's leg. The other members of the squad were already onboard. He sighed heavily as he moved toward it.

~Eight Hours Earlier~

"We have to move now, we're already up to our eyeballs in a shitload of problems. " Ash dropped a file onto the table in the middle of the room as the four leaders looked at him. The files showed the countdown until full swarm.

"What do you suggest Ash?" Silver was the first to respond, he knew that Ash wouldn't of even bothered coming forward without a plan. Ash wasn't from his sector, but he trusted the mongoose for some reason.

"I'm not suggesting anything, I'm telling you." He said looking at each of them. "Ray and I cracked the formula for making fuel out of the concentrated oil found in dead robots. We've made enough for the X tornado to get to the West and back. We've got to get them back here with that Godforsaken rock."

~Hour later~

Blaze was making her way around the now hectic base as everyone scrambled to prepare for the eminent attack. There seem to be hope everywhere as the X Tornado had left to go after the squad and they would be back in a matter of hours. She had noticed one thing, the finder of their new deadline was nowhere to be seen. She checked everywhere, and was now on her way to look in the last place one would expect to find a character like Ash, the kitchen. She entered and was extremely surprised as to what she saw.

"What can I do for you?" Ash was leaning against the counter with a bottle to his lips, behind him on the counter was a still. He had filled up at least fifteen bottles of the hard stuff, and he was on number nine now. "Perhaps you'd also like an end of the world drink?" He offered.

"No, thanks." She said crossing her arms and leaning against the counter beside him. "I wasn't expecting to find you here, doing this of all things."

"Sorry to disappoint you pussy cat." He said taking another swig from the bottle. She tried ignoring his comment as he went on. "It'd be my guess that you'd expected someone like me, a tech, to be working on something hum?"

"Yes." She admitted, looking at him slightly.

"You think just because I could be working right now that I could suddenly come up with a miracle weapon? Wake up. I've done all I can now. I read the codes on the bot, I broke a gasoline formal, it's up to the others now. All I can do is help if and when they come back." he drank again. "According to my last mathematical time formal I can get drunk, and still have enough time to become perfectly cognitive should they return."

"You keep making it sound like they won't."

"For all we know they could of died out there. I'm not pinning my hopes on anything kitty cat." He said turning to her. "If these are going to be my last hours alive in this world, you can bet that sweet ass of yours that I'll be spending them on what I want to do."

"And this is what you want to do is it?" She said with a sultry look.

"Not unless you have a better idea kitty kitty." He smirked and drank again.

"I never pegged you for a sexual drunk." She rolled her eyes.

"Probably cause you've never pictured me before." He said putting a drank in her hand. "I'll admit I've never given you a second glance either, but." He sat on the counter. "With my current distraction level I can't help but notice your," He looked her up and down. "Assets."

"You're a jackass."

"And you're an uptight bitch, but you don't see me saying that out loud."

"Uh you're drunk and I have better things to do." she put the drank he'd given her on the counter.

"Is that so." He his words stopped her in her tracks. "You're a medic, you've done all you can as well. At least until someone starts dying." He finished off the bottle in his hand. She looked at him almost as if she couldn't believe him. "Come on," He held out a drank for her. "What's it gonna hurt, I hear cats have nine lives anyway." She sighed taking the drank from him and popping it back. "Whoa, unless you can recoup like me, I suggest you only get tipsy not drunk."

"And now your Mr. Rules?" She asked standing in front of him as he sat on the counter.

"You'll find I'm a pain in the ass whether I'm sober or drunk, so don't accept anything more or less."

"What makes you think-"

"I read people." He said looking at her. "I do it all the time, I don't talk about it much, but it's a skill I have that doesn't lean toward my tech talent." He opened another one of his bottles. "When I call you kitty cat for instance, you're aroused." he smirked.

"What?" She said her shoulders tensing a bit as she looked up at him blushing.

"See that reaction proves it." He opened her a second bottle. "When I called you pussy cat, you were surprised at first, but then when I kept at it, your pupils dilated a bit and your checks flushed. All signs of arousal. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you like that kind of thing." He said in a ridiculously confident tone.

"As if anyone would believe you." She said taking the second drink from his grasp.

"I guess the real question here then is," he took her wrist pulling her close enough so that his lips were directly against her ear as he whispered. "should we get know each other a little better, kitty cat?"


	33. Chapter 32

**A/N:**Alright here's the next chapter my wonderful readers. Sorry it took so long, but I wanted this chapter to put a solid seal on the relationships between all the different characters. Hope its entertaining for you all. I really hope you guys can give me some detailed reviews on this chapter. I'm thinking two more chapters to wrap this up, but we'll see, never know I may come up with an extra twist. ;)

**Chapter 32**

"Is that better?" Ebony asked the peach echidna. It had turned out that Tikal's leg had only been badly sprained during her fall. Ebony was very skilled as a healer and had absorbed most of the pain using a polis.

"Yes." She said softly. When Shadow had boarded the Tornado, Tikal saw the Emerald in his grasp, it had been big and heavy sitting on his shoulder. Tikal had moved to it and whispered some words in an ancient language and the jewel had shrunk down to fit in the palm of her hand. She stared at the green gem in her hand now. This one single green stone was the crest of their hopes. She held it close as if trying to protect it from all things.

"Tails." Marine was sitting with him in the first cockpit. "Are they preparing back at North base?" She said as she leaned against him a bit. She was a little tired. "Sorry...I haven't slept to well...if you can imagine."

"Yes, things are very busy there. " He put his arm around her gently so as to support her. "It's alright, you should rest some. Our war will begin soon." He said in a mellow tone.

Shadow stood on the left wing of the jet. He could just make out Amy's silhouette on the right wing. He felt some form of fulfillment. He knew that Amy would never speak to him again in the ways she done before, nor would she look upon him with the eyes of innocence or of desire, but even in this he found some kind of peace. The person he wanted most, he had loved her, loved her entirely, in every way a person can love. Though he may never hold her again, the love they had made would be enough for him, and he knew then and there that he would continue to watch her and protect his most important person, for he loved her so.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Um..." Blaze sat up. Her head hurt a bit as she opened her eyes and looked around. She wasn't sure where she was at first, then as she put her hand to her head she realized she was naked. "Uh...I didn't..." She sighed. She was sitting in Ash's bed. The mongoose was nowhere to be found. She got up putting her clothes on. She looked at the ragged wooden table that was by the bed. It had a glass of water and two pills. She saw a note there as well. She picked it up and read it.

_These will help with the headache._

_As soon as you wake up you'll_

_need to take them. I told you_

_you shouldn't of drank so much._

_Oh and by the way you were_

_pretty good last night._

She put the note down and then took the pills. She then made her way to her own room. She could feel the pills taking affect already. Ash was no medic, but he knew a thing or two about hangovers. She assumed he must of worked these up for just such an occasion. She got to her room and cleaned herself up and put on some new clothes and her armor. She then turned to make her way to the infirmary. She would need to make sure there was plenty of supplies for all the other medics to prepare for what lay ahead of them.

Ash was supervising the making of more gasoline. They had decided to make more so that they could use the X Tornado in the battle. Ash's eyes shifted to the side catching a glimpse of Blaze. He didn't turn to her or say anything, but only returned to his work. Blaze had seen him as well, but did not stop or speak to him. They didn't need to share words to know what had happened between them. They both accepted it and tried to keep in mind that they were less than fourteen hours away from going into a battle that neither of them might live through, what was the point of talking about it now.

She entered the infirmary. "Cosmic, has there been any news?"

The light green hedgehog turned to her. He had just finished collecting his medical gear. "Yes, they should be here in matter of minutes."

"We better get out there in case one of them needs medical attention." She began to make her way back to the main corridor, with Cosmic following on her heels.

All who had remained at the North base had come out to see the return of the Core squad. "They're back." Honey was the first out, with a little bee in tow. Following them was Espio, Mina and Vector. Honey was almost to the ship when she stopped in her tracks. She saw something she wished she hadn't. Tails was getting down from the ship and Marine was in his arms. She shook her head from side to side and turned away. "What's wrong with me...I knew it'd be this way..."

"Amy!" Rouge had her arms around her best friend in moments. "You did it, you brought it back." She said with a smile, but it was short lived as she saw Amy's expression. "Amy...what's wrong? What happened?" She said with her hands on her shoulders.

Amy looked up at her with somewhat sad eyes, but before she could say anything another voice had come to her. "Amy," She turned to see Sonic standing there. "I knew you'd come back." he said picking her up and looking into her eyes before setting her back down. His spirit and the shine of his green eyes, they made Amy's pain dull just a bit. She'd never seen him like this. His feelings for her were still evident and overflowing, and it didn't stop her from clinging to him. He was like sunshine in her now dark world. He looked down at her face, her eyes were a sight for his longing heart. "Amy, forgive me." He said as he leaned in and kissed her.

Rouge tilted her head to the side watching them, Knuckles was blushing a bit as he took the bat's hand. Rouge smiled when she felt his grip and leaned into him. The others didn't stare for too long, accept for one. Shadow finally closed his eyes turning away and jumping of the wing of the jet.

Amy blushed as they parted. She was so weak from all that had happened that she couldn't resist Sonic. She couldn't find the spirit to really want to stop him. His arms and lips were very different than what she experienced before. She could feel Sonic's arms around her and she finally let go. She fell into his arms and his lips.

Sonic gently pulled his mouth from hers. He realized that Amy had fainted. He gently took her up in his arms. "I'm going to take her inside to rest."

"Shadow, aren't you going to..." Ebony was by his side. Though she hadn't said anything, she could see the story between them with ease.

"No." Shadow looked at the black cat. "She makes her own decisions now, I've taken everything by force...force can take nothing else from her now." He turned to walk toward the base.

"Wise words coming from our fearless leader." Ash mocked as he stood with his arms folded. He was by Void and Scourge. Shadow didn't hesitate as he walked up to them. Within the next second, Shadow's fist smashed into Ash's face. Ash fell to the ground obviously taken off guard.

Everyone turned to look at them, the action coming as a surprise. They were all on the break of war and Shadow had just struck down one of the few fighters on their side. Shadow was over the mongoose as he picked him up by the brim of his armor. He looked at him with cold eyes. "How dare you speak out of turn to the albatross." He said with a hard voice.

Blood ran down from the corner of Ash's mouth. "It got the rock back here didn't it?" He said with a pained grin.

"I don't care if it got the emerald back, I don't care if it stopped the fucking Armageddon!" He yelled angrily as he shook Ash. Everyone stood stock still, not even the other East sectors moved. "I am your leader." He said in a deathly quiet tone. "And you," He stood up holding Ash off his feet. "You're nothing, in the eyes of your leader you will never be worth anything." He dropped him to the ground. "Do anything to anger me again and I will kill you." He turned and walked away into the base.

"Tikal." Vector was holding her in his arms, as she was his teammate and he could pick her up easiest. "What the hell happened with you guys?"

"A lot." She said looking up at her friend. She could feel warm hands on her shoulder. She turned her head just enough to see Mina and Honey. Espio was with them as well.

Charmy plopped gently into her lap. "We missed ya Tik!" he smiled.

"Come on." Mina motioned. "Let's get you inside. We've got till night fall, Cosmic mixed up some medicine so that you can all get your strength back."

Jet and Wave stood by their large teammate. "It seems things have become a little more intense than before."

"I should of listened to the mongoose. He may have no honor, but he was right about his leader."

"That whole team is corrupt." Ray said in a disliking tone.

"That's not true." Fiona snapped.

Storm looked at her. "You sure are quick to jump to their defense."

"Not 'theirs'." Ray folded his arms in a disapproving fashion. "His."

Jet approached his Intel. "Is this true? Have you developed real feelings for the Eastern Second?"

She blushed looking up at him. "If you have to ask then it's none of your business."

Wave put her wing on her beloveds shoulder. "Jet, it's alright."

He looked to her. "Is it?" He looked at his Intel again. "You know if we live, what will become of the two of you? Will you leave us? Will he leave his sector?"

"Jet..." Wave said a little softer.

"No, she needs to think about this."

Amy, Tikal, and Marine had been taken to the infirmary to be healed and rested. Storm and Shadow had refused to be taken to the infirmary so they were given their strengthening pills and were released. Tikal was the only one still awake. She was slowly drifting, but she wanted to see one more person before sleep. "Where is Silver?" She asked.

"Silver?" Mina blinked. "Why would you be asking for..." She smiled softly when she saw Tikal blushing and looking to the side.

"Tikal." She perked a bit when she heard that voice.

"Silver." She smiled as he knelt by her bedside.

"I'm sorry." He smiled. "I had to see Marine first." He rested one of his hands atop hers. "You did well."

"I came back, just like I promised." She said her fingertips touching the edge of his hand that was resting on hers.

"You did." He nodded. "Next time I'll have to get a promise that you will return uninjured as well." His smile was a little more obvious.

"You ask the impossible." She smiled. "Silver..." She felt his hand grip hers suddenly. "I'm so glad I got to see you again."

"And I you." He nodded. "Now, sleep. You need to be rested for the battle." She closed her heavy eyes and fell into a sleep. Mina got up and discreetly shooed the rest of her team away. Silver looked at Tikal as she lay there. He gently lifted her hand and kissed it. He didn't care if anyone saw. He couldn't ignore the throbbing in his heart that told him how he loved her.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"It's a little early to be coming to my room don't you think?" Scourge said as he saw a certain fox closing the door behind her as she entered his room.

"Scourge." She sat down on the bed beside him. "I'm not seeing you anymore..."

"What?" He blinked as she didn't look him in the face.

"We were never serious, you see me as just a play thing and I'm tired of playing with you." She got up.

"What are you talking about?" His hand caught her wrist.

"I'm saying we're finished!" She said loudly.

"No." He said in a flat tone.

"Wha-" She was about to question, but she suddenly found herself pulled down onto the bed and he was over her. His hands pinned her wrists down so she could not escape.

"You know that's a lie. I can see it in your eyes. I can feel it from your body." He nuzzled her. "You're already hot from my touch." He kissed her cheek. "If something's bothering you just tell me, don't try to make decisions on your own." He let go of her wrists wrapping his arms around her body.

"Scourge..." She closed her eyes holding on to him tightly. "We could all live through this...what will happen to us when the time comes for the sectors to separate?" She asked. "I...I can't leave my team...they need me."

"Is that was this is all about?" He said lifting her chin and waiting for her eyes to open and meet his. She blushed when she saw his face so close to hers. "I don't care if we live or die, we will be together, nothing will keep us apart." He kissed her deeply. "Now, you should really be punished for trying to escape from me."

"Scourge, I-I wasn't trying to escape." She blushed as she felt him licking her neck. "I was just trying to-Ah." She felt his hand between her legs.

"You have no idea how nice it is to touch you and not get punched." He grinned as he bit her ear.

"Who says I won't?" She gasped as he pulled her up and held her from behind. She struggled in his grip blushing all the while.

"You'll have to do better than that." He kissed down her neck as he undid her top. "I think it works better if you actually 'want' to get away."

"Scourge..." She blushed as she looked over her shoulder at him, her expression sweet. "Why do you love me?"

He blushed caught off guard by her question. He stopped toying with her and pulled her in with his arms around her waist. He let his chin rest over her shoulder. "That's a hard question," He nuzzled. "I won't lie though, at first I was only after your body." He notice the disappointment on her face and the anxiousness in her eyes. "But it's not like that anymore." He made his grip a little tighter. "You're the best I've ever been with."

"And when someone comes along that's better than me, I guess they'll be the best you've ever been with." She said closing her eyes tightly.

He turned her and looked in her face, waiting for her eyes to crack open. "It's because it's with you that's it's the best I've ever had. With anyone else it would be meaningless." He held her in a way he knew made her melt. He had her in his lap and his hands caressed her face, neck, and continued further down her body, touching every inch of her. "With anyone else the touch would be empty, their reactions disappointing, because they're not yours. The hotness between the bodies would only be skin deep, it wouldn't reach deep down to my core." He kissed her, his tongue slips sweetly yet demandingly between her lips. His full-bodied kiss was very passionate. "Kissing would be nothing like this." He pecked her lips. "I will never love anyone, but you."

Her eyes quivered just a bit as she blushed feeling him nuzzling her temple. "Scourge, I love you." She said looking up at him.

"Then lets become one and seal our love." He said with a grin suddenly flipping her down so he was on top of her nuzzling into her chest.

"Ah-I-I never should of told you!" She felt him use his arms to pull her body closer to his.

"It's too late for that. We're both addicted now." He said rolling over so she was on top of him. He pulled her lips down to kiss her.

x-x-x-x-x

"Rouge," Knuckles came out of the base. His white bat was right where he expected her to be. She was sitting on top of the large mound of snow that covered the top of the base, hiding it from the naked eye.

"Hey." She looked up at him as he took a seat beside her.

"What's got your wings in a twist?" He asked knowing full well something was on her mind.

"It's Amy." She sighed. "Something's happened to her, but I...I don't think she'll ever talk about it. But...I know it has something to do with Shadow, I'm sure they've gotten involved somehow...but how...why is it making her sad. What could he have done too her..."

"I know you care about her and you want to do everything you can to help, but you know how she is. If she doesn't want to talk about it then she won't. Amy's never had anything she couldn't handle, and even she did have something like that, have you ever known her to admit she couldn't handle it or ever being willing to accept help with personal issues such as this?"

"You're right..." She knew he was, but it didn't make her worry any less.

Knuckles looked at his feet and then back at the bat. He scooted closer and then suddenly pushed her to the side and she rolled down the side of the hill plopping down into snow at the bottom. "Knuckles!" She said jumping to her feet.

He stood at the top of the mound with his arms crossed and a grin on his lips. "Not much you can do about it from down there and all covered in snow."

"You think?" She flapped her wings going after him. He turned sliding down the other side of the snow mound. He could see her on his heels and he sped up. "Don't think you're going to get away that easy!" She pulled her wings in tighter and went into a spiral crashing right into Knuckles and taking him straight down into the snow. "Gottcha!" She turned him over. "I told you I'd catch you!" She had a triumphant grin. She noticed that he was smiling. "What are you smiling about?"

"Your expression just now, I really liked it." He said laying still beneath her in the snow.

She blushed. "Ah...well, you still are going to get your punishment for that surprise attack." She leaned in kissing him full on the mouth and taking him by complete surprise.

"What punishment." He smiled as they parted only slightly. "I think my actions were deserving of a little more punishment." His hand moved gently behind her head and pulled her into another kiss.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Are you finished?" A certain imp was looking over Julies shoulder.

"Almost." She answered as she was tightening a bolt on her mechanical elbow socket. The two had become inseparable friends. Julie found it easy to connect with Void due to him being so much like her. It was easy to talk to him when she was upset or angry because of her differences with the others. Truth be told, she'd never had a better friend. She looked at Void with a bit of a smile as she saw the studying expression on his face. "You really are amazed by it aren't you."

He smiled sitting down beside her. "Yes, it's fascinating to me." He looked from her metal arm up to her face. "You're fascinating to me."

She blushed unknowingly as she smiled and rubbed the back of her head. "You're much more interesting. I mean you have powers."

"They come in handy." He closed his eyes quickly and when they opened they were glowing a bit. The two slowly lifted from the table and were levitating in the air. He smiled when Julie giggled. Void did all that was in his power to make her smile every day. He wanted to know that someone as different as him could be happy. "nice summersault." They were playing in the anti-gravity.

"Ah Void this it's so fun." She pushed off a wall and was back to back with him now. She felt his body against hers, his skin was cold and smooth. Every time she touched him she could only think of their first conversation. He told her that he could feel nothing, not the touch of another, the blow of the wind, or ground beneath his feet, nothing at all. Her hand rested on his wrist. She was staring at the connection, still thinking of how he couldn't feel her touch.

Void realized the thin psychic barrier he put up around his body had been broken on his left side. He looked over his shoulder and saw her hand on his wrist, and then he saw her expression. His eyes closed a bit and his smile was gentle. "It's alright." He turned so he was facing her with their hands still touching. He took her hand into his grip. "Even if I can't feel it, just knowing that my friend is holding my hand is enough." His purple claws interlocked with her fingers. "I bet your hand is warm and soft, like your smile." His third claw ran gently over the top of her hand as she grasped his. "What do I feel like?" In a couple hours they would be in the middle of a war and he thought if there were any questions, now was the time to ask them.

She looked at their hands and then up at him. "Though your hands look hard, they're actually smooth, they're cool to the touch, the tips of your fingers a softer than they look...in all...you...feel nice."

"I always thought being made of dark matter would make me feel course and uncomforting." He said with surprise.

"No, it's very comforting." She said gently. She felt her heart crack, she wanted him to know how much she cared. "Void...I wish you could feel it when I touch you."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Tails watched as Marine lay sleeping. He could still feel the faint pounding of his heart, it had been beating out of control when he'd seen her for the first time since she'd left. All he could recall was how she'd asked him to hold a kiss for her. His ears twitched as he heard Mina and Espio passing by. "Where did Honey run off too?" Espio asked.

"I don't know, I didn't say anything in front of Tikal, but ever since they returned she's been forcing a smile, that's not like her." Mina seemed a bit worried.

"She's changed, she usually doesn't hold back her anger."

Tails looked at Marine and then to the door. "I'm sorry." He got up and left the Infirmary.

"UH! Come on you stupid thing." Honey was sitting alone in Marine's lab. She was at the table that had been set up for all the visiting techs. She was trying to put together some kind of gear, it was obvious that she wasn't thinking and she wasn't concentrating, merely forcing the pieces with her hands.

"Honey." Tails was standing in the doorway.

She sighed not looking at him. "Tails...what are you doing here?" She said looking at the gear in her hands with anger.

"Looking for you." He said not really looking directly at her, even if it was just her back.

"Shouldn't you be in the infirmary?" She asked bitterly.

"You're angry." He said gently.

"Of course I'm angry!" She said suddenly throwing the gear into the wall and smashing it to pieces. She put her hands to her head. "Do you think it's easy for someone like me?" She turned to him still sitting on the bench. "Someone who's so use to yelling and arguing and losing their temper, to see you holding her like that and not be angry!" She got up approaching him. He didn't move. His gaze was locked with hers and it was sad. She could see the pain and guilt in his blue eyes. "I hate her!" She yelled, her eyes closed as she clenched her fists and hot tears ran down her cheeks, her body was shaking with anger and sadness. "I hate that you love her more than me!" Tails took her in his arms, wrapping them around her gently as she cried into his shoulder.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"You know most Techs are suppose to be smart." Ebony was sitting next to Ash who was in his room. She was taking a looking at the wound by his mouth. "But you're making them look bad." She said dabbing little medicine on to it.

"You baby the rest of us like children." He said pushing her away.

"Maybe it's because you all act like children." She said putting the cap back on the bottle of medicine. "Someone's got to be the adult in our Sector." She looked at him with less scolding eyes. "Though I don't approve of you methods, I think what you did helped him after all."

Ash didn't look totally surprised. "You knew, I suspected as much."

"You suspected?" She titled her head.

"You're not exactly the best actress Ebony, you oversold the whole 'he's our leader without question' bit."

"I may think he's wrong sometimes, but I'm not going to embarrass or punish him in front of the others." She said looking down.

"They say the greatest mark of a true leader is humility." He stood up. "Like you said it may not of been the best way, he may have had to give up a little vanity, but he's better off. He was nothing but a peacock before. "

"Yes he'll be a great leader now, maybe better than any of them, but at a horrible cost."

"What you mean the girl?" He said running one hand through his hair.

"Yes the girl." She stood up seeming a little annoyed at his indifference. "Something you don't seem to understand is the true meaning of sacrifice." She stood still talking to his back. "The surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim, yes you know the dictionary definition of sacrifice very well." She put her hand on his shoulder and made him turn around to face her. "But sacrifice isn't something you can just read the definition of and understand it, you'll never understand it unless you've made it. Sacrifice is giving up something you love more than anything for something others tell you is more important," She could see a little guilt in his eyes at the word 'others'. "But before you go getting to proud of yourself you should know, most of the time when someone makes this kind of sacrifice, it's not for the others, it's for the one they are giving up."


	34. Chapter 33

**A/N:** Hi everyone, first off, I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've actually just moved into a new house, and I haven't had time to write since we've been doing so much moving. I hope you'll forgive me. Here's chapter 33 and I hope to have chapter 34 out soon! Thanks again everyone.

**Chapter 33**

A cold wind whipped across the snow covered planes of the northern sector. The sun was setting and all had gathered at the crest of the valley where the Core lay below surrounded by a sea of deadly bots. Tikal stood by the master emerald, now at its full size. She was speaking to it in that same ancient language that she had use to change its size. The others soon gathered around her and the great stone. She looked at them, her eyes seemed full of wisdom as if all the knowledge that the stone had seen through the many centuries of its life had now passed to her.

She raised her hands and began to sing to the stone. She sang so quietly that none could hear her words, to them it sounded like a gentle hum. When she had finished the emerald lit up with a bright green glow. As the brightness grew it spread. First it absorbed Tikal, making her body glow, and then it moved into the group of sectors. Each looked at their body as it was illuminated with the same green shin as the master emerald.

Tikal stood before them. "Alright." She nodded. "The Master emerald as granted us all more strength than we could ever imagine." She saw some of them flexing their muscles as if feeling the new power down to their very fibers. "You will feel it grow as you fight, for some of you it may even give you new powers. Know this," She turned slowly so as to make eye contact with each one. "Do not take your time learning your powers or testing them, fight how you are use to fighting, the rest will come when you need it, time is a virtue here. I do not know how long I can keep the master emerald producing this power, I shall keep it doing so for as long as I can."

They all nodded. Each knew what the risk was of joining this battle, and there was no turning back now. Now each turned to the center where the five stood. The members of the core squad, the ones that would be entering the very heart of the core to plant the virus into the Central Control Mechanism. Silver stepped forward. "Are the five of you ready?" He said as each one of them stood in a group their gaze forward and determined, even the timid Tikal had bravery in her eyes, as she and the others nodded.

Espio jumped on to the master emerald so he could see everyone at once. He looked at Mina for a moment before he spoke. "I know this not something that some may want to be said, but I believe it to be something that needs to be heard. This is a war, some of us probably won't be coming back." He looked at the eyes of all those listening to his words. "Though I know some of you have gotten closer than you ever thought you might, and to someone you never imagined would be so important." He looked at Mina. "I don't think that or anything else should stop you from saying goodbye to the one you love." He looked at the other leaders. "I know I'm crossing my bounds as just West Sector leader, but this needs to be said. I don't want anyone in any sector regretting for the rest of their life knowing they had the chance to say "I love you" and missing out because of a formality." He turned away from them and jumped off the stone taking his mongoose in his arms. "I definitely won't miss this chance."

A few choice members had something to say about this, but kept quiet, as there were many who longed to hear Espios words. The first to take his heed was Scourge who took Fiona's hand. "Fiona, no matter what happens I love you." He nuzzled his face against her temple as she blushed and nuzzled him back.

Honey looked at Tails who blushed when they made eye contact, but it was Marine who took his hand and kissed his forehead. "Thanks for holding that for me." She smiled. Honey's heart sank and she turned away quickly. Tails eyes saddened just a bit, but he still blushed as Marine gripped his hand. He couldn't leave her side, he cared deeply for the raccoon and this could be his last time to be with her. This, however did not stop his mind from racing with thoughts of the sweet cat that loved him so.

Silver stood before Tikal. "Tikal...I just...I wanted to tell you that..." He ran his hand through his quills. "I care about you very deeply...and..."

She smiled taking one of his hands in both of hers. "I've never seen you at such a loss for words Silver." She lifted his hand to her cheek. "I love you too." She smiled sweetly.

Silver blushed. "Tikal..." He rested his forehead against hers.

Shadow's eyes shifted to Amy, but her hands were in the grasp of a blue hedgehog. He looked away. "Amy," Sonic kissed her hands. "Promise you'll come back."

Amy nodded. She hadn't spoken much since her waking, but her spirits were finally coming to her as the brink of war was upon them. "Don't worry, I will definitely come back." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry." She and Sonic acted as if they were back together and when Rouge had asked that morning Amy had not denied it.

Knuckles was holding Rouge from behind his face nestling in her neck as she cuddle him back. They didn't speak, but their love had grown so much that words weren't enough, nor were they needed for them to know how they felt about each other.

"It's time." Jet announced as he came down from the very top edge of the crest of the valley.

Each member took up their position on the crest. The last golden rays of the sun were dying and night was setting in. Silver held his one hand for a countdown. "First runners. 5,4,3,2,1!" Everyone but the core squad jumped the edge of the valley and down toward the fortress. The bots picked them up immediately. It was as if a sea of red was below, but in reality it was every pair of glowing bot eyes upon them. "Fight!" The bots ran toward them and in seconds they clashed with the fighters and metal met flesh, the war had begun.

The thrashing and thundering was heard all around. The sector fighters were fighting full throttle. The power of the emerald was evident as they fought. Rouge preformed a screw kick smashing through five robots in one attack. Six more bots fell, three to each of Knuckles fists. "Rouge!" The echidna jumped to her side knocking out a bot that was behind her.

"Don't worry just yet." Rouge turned slinging a high kick over his head and knocking the head of a bot off its body.

Knuckles had a surprised grin on his lips. "Even in battle you manage to amaze me." He smiled.

Vector swung his mighty tail casting bots aside as if they were ragdolls. Espio was in mid jump when he landed in a handstand on Vectors back and within those few seconds preformed a perfect round house kick knocking out three bots at once. "Nice moves Espio." Vector nodded as he whipped away another bot.

"I can really feel the power pulsing through me, it's as if all my senses are on edge." He said fighting back to back with the crocodile.

Nack and Blaze were also fighting back to back. Nack swung two large pistols. Blaze grinned. "I haven't seen you use those in a very long time Nack."

"I haven't felt like this in a very long time Blaze." Each shot he made fired directly into the central processing units of the bots making them drop to the ground in instant death. "How about you," He said looking over his shoulder at her. "You haven't used your pyrokenesis in years."

"Something's lit my inner flame." She said as fire shot from her left hand completely melting a bot in its tracks. "I can feel the fire overflowing form my body."

Out of all the fighters on the battle field, one shown brighter than any of the others. Honey had racked up a kill toll so high that she herself had lost count. She was moving so fast that it was almost too hard to see her. Sonic who was back to back with Tails spoke first, "Tails check out the cat, I'm beginning to think something's going wrong with her."

Tails turned quickly to see her. She was breathing heavily and sweat dripped from her brow, her fury was full throttle and there was nothing but an endless hoard of monsters to take out her anger upon. The emerald was fueling her rage, so much power was surging into her at once that it forced a manifestation of pure energy on her body. She dropped to her knees as she felt a sudden pain in her back. "AH!" She growled as she hit the ground with one fist.

"Honey!" Tails jumped over bots and dashed past them making his way to her minutes. He beat off bots as she remained on her knees. "Honey!" He yelled again. "What's wrong?" He bashed a bot in the face with his feet and landed by her. "Honey, hey your back is burning up." He said his hand not even able to rest on her back because of the extreme heat.

"AH Tails, my backs on fire!" She let out another scream and suddenly two white wings sprouted from her back.

"H-Honey..." He stared at her. "Y-You've got wings." He said almost blankly.

She stood up on strong legs. She looked at the wings and then gave them a flutter, and she suddenly realized her strength had become tenfold what it had been before. "I have a lot of death to deal out." She said as her eyes burned.

"Honey..." He watched her lifted from the ground and begin to take out her rage on the unknowing bots below her. "She looks like an angel..."

"Fights like the devil though." Scourge and Fiona were close by; keeping watch over the two until Honey was back to battle. Tails eyes showed guilt as he felt that even though her fighting was a credit to their cause it was because of him that her rage was so powerful.

Above all the fighting the core squad stood. "It's almost time." Shadow said as the others stood on either side of him. "The path is nearly cleared."

Shadow looked at Tikal. "Have you decided who's care you will leave the emerald in while we're inside the core?"

"Yes," She nodded. shrinking the emerald into her hand. "Mina is going to meet me just as we enter and hold onto it until we can return."

"Very well." He looked at each of them. "We will put our com's on now." Ray had developed a set of com's for the entire group of sectors. Each fighter had a com that allowed for them all to stay in contact.

"Mina," Tikal called, "Mina can you hear me?"

"Go head Tikal I hear ya." a little static crackled over the waves of the radio.

"We're fixing to take off, are you ready?"

"I'll be there to get the emerald." Mina assured.

Shadow held up his hand. "On my mark."

Each took up to the edge of the valley. In the next second Shadow's hand waved down and the entire group took off towards the core. Their path was clear of bots as they made their way to the center of the valley. Tikal moved to the outside edge of the group as they made it to the last few yards before the entrance of the fortress. She saw Mina standing there her hand out stretched. Without even stopping or slowing down Tikal tossed the jewel across the few inches that separated her and the mongoose. Mina's hand closed around it with ease. "Good luck." She whispered as she watched the core squad disappear into the darkness of the fortress.

The five entered the darkness without hesitation. Marine took the lead as she knew the way better than any other. Shadow and Strom took up on her left and right flank to fight off any robots that might jump into their path as they had no time to stop for battle. "Left." She said quickly as the group continued to travel as a perfect unit. "Storm on the right!" Amy yelled in a warning tone. The albatross swung his large wing to his right and slammed a shredder bot into the wall, but it didn't quit so easily. It's long blade like hand stabbed into Storms wing yanking him back and into a full on brawl.

The others hadn't stopped running. Shadow could see Amy attempting to slow. "Don't stop!" He yelled in a commanding tone. "We all swore to stick to the plan no matter what!" He looked at Tikal next who was already looking back. "If we stop now everything we've done up till now will be wasted. Don't let the albatross down."

Tikal looked forward again. "Hurry!" She said picking up full speed again as did Amy.

"Marine lead." Shadow dropped back in behind the raccoon allowing her to take the front position once more.

"We're almost there." Marine said as her eyes narrowed. "Almost..." In the next few moments they slammed through some busted metal doors, inside was the central control room. Unfinished bots scattered the floor. The large room was full of broken control panels and all kinds of metal junk littered the area. "There it is." Marine said as she made her way to the center of the room.

"That's the core?" Tikal blinked standing by her side. "It's not very big."

"Most important things aren't as lavished as you might think when it comes to technology, the smaller it is the more important its likely to be." She pulled a screwdriver from her belt and began undoing the back of the unit.

"Amy," Shadow's expression and tone was all complete seriousness. He was in total leader mode. "Guard the door, if anything comes this way alert me."

"Yes." Amy nodded, her persona was just as professional. She moved quickly to the door taking up a guard position at the entrance to the room.

"How's it coming Marine." Shadow said as he turned back.

"I'm in," She said as she was typing quickly on a mini laptop that she'd pulled from the bag that had been on her back.

"Shadow!" It was easy to tell by Amy's voice that she was fighting off a bot.

He turned quickly. "Tikal stay by Marine and try to keep her safe while she works." He took off the bands of invisibility that they all had and put them on Tikal's wrists. "Use them wisely." He said before turning and running to the entrance.

Shadow was suddenly back to back with Amy. "Where did they all come from so suddenly..." Amy huffed. "I can't believe this. I thought for sure it'd be mostly empty!" She had two hammers on her back. She pulled them off, one in each hand. "Bring it you metal bastards!" She swung one hammer and sent a bot flying into a wall and crumbled into busted chunks.

Shadow could feel the power of the master emerald pulsing through his body as he concentrated each blow. Each punch, each kick, took out one bot with little to no effort, and his speed, never had anyone seen such speed. He was so fast that it barely looked as if he were moving at all, but teleporting from place to place.

Amy stood over a bot that was still alive. She held up her two hammers to bring down on to it as she did she heard another smashing sound from behind her. She turned quickly. "Don't worry I've got your back." Storm was standing there with a sledge bot crushed between his wings.

"What took you so long?" Amy grinned as she continued to fight.

"I was busy, I've lost count of the bots in my graveyard." He said, obviously explaining that he'd been fighting bots the whole way there.

Tikal was watching the three fight to keep the bots from entering the room. She held her fists to her chest, clearly a little scared. She turned to check on Tikal again and that's when she saw it. There was a drill bot that had dug its way up from under the ground a couple yards behind the busy tech. Tikal quickly jumped in front of Marine. "D-Don't worry I've got it Marine, keep working!" Sweat dripped from her brow as she touched her bands together. She suddenly turned invisible. The bot seemed confused as its scanners turned from left to right looking for its now vanishing target. The bots scanners didn't even make it all the way to the left before it began to shake and electrical surges occurred.

The invisibility died away and Tikal could be seen on top of the bot holding her wrists against its head. Every fighter had been given some of the magnetic bracelets that would destroy the internal processers of the bots. She was in pain as she held it until the bot died, the electrical surge had ran into her body and as she jumped from the bot her body steamed. "Uh..." She clenched her teeth. If it hadn't been for the master emeralds power she would never would have been able to withstand the shock without passing out.

She looked over at Marine. "M-Marine...?" She noticed that she was typing frantically. "W-What is it?"

"I can't do it." She said looking over her shoulder. "The encryption is too much for me! I need Tails!" She said quickly.

"Shadow!" Tikal ran to the threshold of the door. "Marine needs Tails!"

"Damn," Shadow growled. "Tails are you copying this?"

"Yeah Shadow." Tails voice echoed through the communicators they were all wearing.

"Silver, Espio, Sonic, Jet." Shadows voice boomed with command. "Get the fox in here!"

"Right!" Four voices answered at once.

x-x-x-x-x

"You heard Shadow," Espio was standing on top of a dead bot. "New priority, get Tails to the entrance!" He looked back. "Honey, Mina cover us from behind!" The two girls nodded in agreement as they fought off two bots each. "Tails get up here!" Espio demanded. The fox jumped into the middle of the four leaders.

Sonic and Silver began clearing the way together, fighting back to back. Jet who was paired off with Espio gave an order to the others. "The rest of you attempt to keep these bots in the valley, the less ground they cover the easier it will be to keep the damage to a minimum." He turned and locked his hands around one of Espios and swung the chameleon allowing him to kick down six bots as once.

"Move your asses!" Sonic yelled as he and Silver blew away another line of bots.

"It's not like we're having tea time back here!" Jet snapped as he did a head slam to a bot that tried to attack him head on.

"We're almost there!" Silver yelled. Just a couple more yards and they would of made it in one piece, but this was a war, nothing ever goes according to plan.

Silver was looking the other way, facing off with a sledge bot, and he didn't see the shredder behind him. "Watch it!" Espio landed on one foot using the other to land a roundhouse kick to the attacking shredder.

"Thanks Espio." Silver turned after beating the sledge bot. He knew if it hadn't been for Espio, that shredder would of killed him for sure.

"No prob-" Espios pupils dilated as blood splattered onto his face. He fell to the ground gasping, the bot he thought he'd killed had had just enough energy left to reach up with its bladed hand and cut Espios throat. Blood trickled from the clean cut across his jugular.

Silver stood there unmoving as he stared at his friend. Sonic turned quickly when he didn't see his comrades moving. "No." He came quickly. "Oh fuck," He shook his head. "Espio..."

In the next moment Mina and Honey had made their way forward. When Mina saw Espio it was too much. "E-Espio!" She let out a scream that echoed across the valley. She dropped to her knees by his side clasping his body in her arms. "No! Espio!" She screamed as tears streaked down her cheeks. "You're going to be alright!" She said through her tears. "Y-You are going to be fine!" Sonic looked at Tails, he was a medic, but Sonic knew the moment that Tails shook his head that there was no medicine nor medic that could save Espio now.

"M-Mian..." Espios eyes were cracked open as he gasped and choked on his own blood.

"D-Don't talk now." She said as she attempted to put pressure on his large cut, but Espio pulled her hand away taking her now stained hand in his own. The two were soaked in his blood now as it pooled around them.

"Aren't y-ou glad I to-ld you how m-muc-h I love you, be-fore this." He had been the one to pronounce that love was important and that it should be said before entering the war, and he had, he'd taken his moment before the battle and told Mina exactly how he felt about her. "You've ne-ever b-ben more beauit-ful." He whipped the tears away from her eyes with his hand, smearing blood across her face as he did so.

"W-Wait don't talk like that, like you're going to leave me." She cried as she held his hand to her face.

"Never..." He said in a whisper. His hand became limp and his eyes finally closed, the West Leader was gone.

"Espio?" She whimpered. "Esipo, no please." She clenched his hand to her face. "No, NO! Don't leave me! Espio, Espio I love you, don't leave me!" Her screams were like murder, they pierced every heart on the battle field. The others had to look away as she cried out and screamed for her lover. Her tears fell and mingled with the blood on her face. "No-no!" She held his corpse in her arms. "Espio please!" She cried.

"Mina..." Silver put his hand on her shoulder after approaching her at last. "We can't stay like this..." He said gently.

"No, I won't leave him!" She yelled. "I won't move, I won't do anything!" her voice was now that of hysterics. "I won't go-" Suddenly Silver had smacked her right across the face. Tails wanted to step forward upon seeing this, but Sonic held him back by the shoulder. He shook his head, warning the fox that Silver was in the right.

Silver took her by her shoulders. "Stop it! Get hold of yourself!" He yelled. "Is this what you want!" He demanded. "You're just going to give up? Let the bots win!" He looked at his dead friend, his own heart throbbing still with pain. "Look at him!" He made her look at his body. "Look at him!" He yelled again. "Are you going to let him die in vain? If you lose yourself now, you turn your back on everything Espio died for." His eyes turned just little bit more gentle. "Including his love for you."

She choked on her tears as she looked at her lovers body. "Alright..alright..."

"Mina, we'll leave it you to get his body out of here." Silver nodded now sure that she was in her right mind, a grieving mind, but still a stable one. "But you must return, if you do not fight with us then we will all die, and it will have been for nothing."

x-x-x-x-x

Tikal was on her knees as tears fell from her eyes. "E-Espio's gone...my leader...he's dead..." She cried.

"Tikal, get up!" Shadow said looking over at the echidna. "You cannot grieve now, stay alert, you mustn't lose your mind like Mina almost did!"

She nodded. "R-Right...Espio...he would of wanted everyone to go on." She stood back up on wobbly legs.

"Shadow, Tails is in, he should be there within minutes."

"Copy that Sonic." Shadow said over his communicator.

"Storm go meet the fox and make sure he gets here in once piece." Shadow ordered.

It felt like time had stopped, but finally Storm returned with the fox. "Quickly Tails, time is not on our side."

Tails nodded running over to where Marine was knelt down. "Marine!" He dropped to his knees. He saw her face it was tear stained. "Marine?"

"It's my fault." She looked at him. "If I could of don this...If I'd been smart enough, he'd still be alive." She cried.

"It's not your fault." He took her in his arms. "We all knew the risk, you can't blame yourself for every causality that occurs during a war." He released her and began studying the screen in her lap. "All we can do now is try to prevent anymore from happening."

x-x-x

The fight raged on around the fortress. The sea of battle was almost a haze, it moved so quickly. Ash ran up the back of robot with amazing speed and upon reaching the head kicked it clear off the robots shoulders. He landed on the ground in a kneeling position. He raised his head slowly and as he did his eyes were on a purple cat. She was fighting ferociously against two bots at once. Her entire body was on fire as she sliced across the bots with her claws, causing their metal hides to melt.

Ash knew that there had truly been nothing between them in the beginning. They had merely been to people acting out desires, when they had been together, and every cell in his brain told Ash that that was all there should be, but it wasn't.

He watched her about to claw another robot when Ash saw it, a bot coming up behind her, that's when his body moved without any thought at all. The sudden smell of scorched fur filled the air behind Blaze. She turned quickly and saw smoke ruffling up from Ashes body. She knew it right away, what he had done, and it took her by surprise.

Ash had jumped right in front of the bot that was after her back. She knelt down slightly. "What are you doing?" She said pulling a polis from her side. She began to apply it to the tender burns as quickly as she could. "You knew my body was on fire. Even if the bot had attacked me, I would of done more damage to it."

"Guess I wasn't willing to take that chance." He said looking up at her.

"W-What?" She blinked with eyes of confusion.

"If we live through this," He grinned softly. "We should see each other again."

"Ash shut up, are you turning delusional?" She asked as she looked back at his burns. She couldn't believe him, she had thought for sure that Ash could put what happened between them behind him, like she was trying to do.

He suddenly took her by her arm pulling her down and kissing her. When he parted he wore his normal face, it was that 'as a matter of fact' look that Ash always wore. "Actually I was thinking our next encounter might be a bit less delusional and a bit more sober." His burns were becoming more evident. "If we live that is."

"You idiot." She said helping him up. "I can't believe you. You know it would never work."

"I agree." He was leaning on her a bit as his burns had been somewhat severe. "A tech and a medic, it definitely wouldn't work."

She carefully moved him up against the wall of the fortress, so at least they would only have to fend off bots from one direction. "What do you mean by that?" She didn't understand his reference to their sector positions.

"You're a medic, offhand, the most compassionate of sector members. You see more suffering and blood than any of us, because you not only fight bots, but death." He felt her fingers touch his skin as she pressed more of the gel against his burnt flesh. "And yet somehow many of you manage to remain untouched by these horrors. Your love and compassion for life and for others lingers on." She had the appearance of one trying to focus on her work, but her eyes gave her away. They made contact with his and in an instant he could tell that her curiosity was overflowing her desire for him to continue was overpowering.

Ash held her gaze as he spoke to her once more. "And I'm a tech. By nature, many of us are immune to the idea of compassion. We see with our minds, not our hearts. We are thinkers. Our very purpose being to create better ways to destroy." He took her wrist suddenly making her pay full attention. "So you are right, it could never work between us." He pulled her into him kissing her passionately.


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Well everyone I've finally got the next chapter out. I hope it was worth the wait. I know I've made you wait, so I tried to make this chapter a little longer. Next time will be the final installment for Seventh Sky, so for now read and enjoy. _**Please Review, pretty please.**_

**Chapter 34**

"The head, go for the head Jet!" Nack yelled as he and Silver were distracting a huge turbo bot as Jet attempted to damage and destroy the bots CPU. A turbo bot was the most deadly of the bots due to its enormous size and nearly impenetrable armor. It's weakest point was the head, where with the right number of attacks the monsters processing unit could be destroyed

Jet hovered above the bots head he closed his eyes as he began summoning the forces of the wind. Within a minute he was surrounded by the pure force of nature, his blue eyes shot open and suddenly he nosedived right into the top of the bot. He hit with such force that the bots head split in half and fell to the ground.

"You did it!" Silver yelled as he and Nack jumped out from in front of the bots body when it fell forward, now lifeless.

"Do you think he can do it fifty more times..." Nack said in a damper tone.

"What?" Silver looked to the North Sector Intel and saw him motion to the fortress. At least fifty Turbo bots were emerging from underneath the snow. Never had anyone seen so many turbo bots in one place. The most North sector had ever battle at once was seven.

"Dear God..." Silvers eyes widened.

The wind around Jet became more violent. "Damn it all."

The fighters were beginning to feel despair, but then a voice of hope rang across the coms. "Don't give up just yet guys, the cavalry is here!" They all looked up into the sky as they heard the sound of a jet. The X-Tornado flew overhead, Ray was in the pilot's seat. The Tornado was transformed, it was fitted with a cannon so strong that it would blast the head clean off a turbo bot's shoulders. "Let's get these sons of bitches." He growled as he banked in hard and fired a perfect shot into his first turbo victim.

x-x-x

Tikal was still watching after the two techs when suddenly her eyes lit up with a fear unlike any other. "N-No...not now..." She looked to her friends fighting at the entrance. She saw it happening, Shadow was slowing down, Storm was tiring, and Amy was no longer lifting her hammers as if they were hollow. "The master emerald..." She ran to her current leader. "Shadow!"

"Go!" He didn't even need to look at her. He could feel his excess power draining quickly. "Do what you can, the three of us can handle these couple of bots." He turned to Amy. "Give her your invisibility bands." Amy nodded quickly tossing the bands to her. "Use them to get to the emerald, and stay alive!"

She nodded. "I will, don't lose hope, I'm sure I can find out what's happening." She clanged the bracelets together and turned quickly running off and losing her visibility as she left the doorway. Truth be told, she was worried because Mina was the one with the jewel, and she wasn't sure what had become of her friend. "Mina, come in!" She said somewhat franticly.

"I'm here Tikal." She said in shaky yet weakly determined voice.

"Can you meet me outside, I must see the master emerald."

"I'll meet you there in two." She said quickly in a solid tone.

"And Mina..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry..."

In two minutes Mina found herself waiting in front of the entrance to the fortress. In another minute Tikal arrived huffing. "S-Sorry, I hurried."

"It's alright," She said her eyes were very sad, but she held herself together. "Everyone's weakening." She held out the emerald to give it to Tikal, but just as she stretched out her hand the stone suddenly began to grow. Mina dropped it as it grew out of her hand. It hit the ground taking to its full size. "Tikal...what's happening...?"

"I...I..." She stared at the rock as it suddenly began to shake violently. "Oh no! Please dear God not this, not now..."

"Tikal what is it?" Mina said as she took a step away from the stone as it shook.

"I was afraid of this," She said attempting to put her hand on the stone but a violent shock zapped it, causing her to jerk her hand away.

"What's happening?" Mina's question could be heard through every communication com that each fighter wore as could Tikal's answer.

"The power, we're using up so much of it so quickly. The emerald...it can't keep up, it's going to destroy its self trying to produce enough energy."

Silver's voice could be heard of the coms. "How much time do we have Tikal?"

"Minutes, at the most." She said shaking her head.

"Tails, Marine." The Northern leader said quickly. "Will that be enough time?"

"No..." Tails said in a defeated tone. "The encryption is more elaborate than we could of imaged, looks like Eggman saved his best trick for last."

There was nothing but silence of the next minute, before Vectors voice crackled across the coms. "What do we do now...?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mina spoke with despair. "...we die."

"No." A voice crackled over the coms. "We don't all die yet, for now just one." The first to recognize the voice was Blaze. She looked to wear she had left Ash, but he wasn't there.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Ebony's voice sounded.

"I just know a little secret that's all." Ash said as he jumped over bots kicking the heads off of them as he made his way towards Tikal and the master emerald. "I know what Tikal's not telling us." He could just make out the shapes now. "Tikal, I know you don't want anyone to die, and I know you think we could find another way, but we're out of options now."

"Tikal what's he talking about?" This time it was Amy's voice booming with curiosity. "What's he saying?"

When Tikal didn't answer, Ash did. "I've study ancient cultures and technology, like that stone of hers. I can also understand that dead language she uses to talk to it."

"What?" Ebony's voice was strained. "You knew about that stuff and never let on?"

"I thought it best if the little echidna didn't know, if she did she may not of gone full force like she did when she summoned the spell on the master emerald." He said now only a mile or so off.

"Spell?" Amy's voice was the curious one again. "Tikal you put a spell on the master emerald?"

"I had too!" Tikal almost cried. "The stone's strength alone was not enough. The spell of destruction...it's...a spell that grants great power, but at a terrible cost, it destroys the bridge from which the power flows...in this case the master emerald...or..."

"Or what?" Shadow was the one pressing for answers now.

"Or the host." Ash answered point blank. "If we give that thing a host to feed on it will destroy the host not the emerald, and the remaining power will pass back to the bridge, giving it more than enough energy to sustain everyone."

"Host..." Ebony's voice was faint. "Ash, you don't mean..."

"Yeah Ebony, I do." He said now closing in on the stone. "Someone's gotta do it. Someone's gotta make the hard choice." His mind, as he spoke, was nothing but flashbacks. Every image of himself making others suffer in order to save the world, never giving up anything himself. Then his thoughts were of nothing but Blaze. "Ebony, do you remember when you told me I didn't know the meaning of sacrifice? That I would never understand it until I had done it myself?"

"Yeah..." The black cat answered softly her eyes a bit wet.

"I understand it now." He said as he remembered Blazes eyes. "I think it's time I made a sacrifice, don't you?" He believed that it was only fair, after all he had done. "Blaze...I just want to say...I'm sorry." He was only a quarter of a mile out now. "I know I'm a jackass for doing this now..."

"It would of never world between us." Her voice crackled over the coms, her tone was soft and sweet, and even a bit remorseful. Even though he couldn't see her, Ash new that there was a hot tear running down her cheek.

"Ash," Scourge's voice sounded in the mongoose's ear. "You're the man."

"Na," Ash grinned a bit. "Just a tech, a really stupid tech."

"Up until the end." Void said from the other side of the valley. "And now you show your true colors."

Ash's eyes narrowed on his target. "Hey Shadow," Shadow's ears perked as he heard the mongoose's voice. He saw Amy look at him as she, along with all the others were listening. "I'm sorry, for what I did to you." His voice crackled over the coms as Shadow stood still listening. "I never should of threatened you or your relationship with Amy." His voice then turned to Amy. "You hear that Amy?" He said loudly. "Shadow may be a jerk and an asshole, but he loves you. Always has, I just got in the way of that." Amy's eyes met with Shadow's. She was blushing as she stared at him.

Ash heard nothing but silence for about thirty seconds as he closed in on the last few yards to the stone. Then a crackled was heard. "Hey Ash," Shadow spoke. "I'm proud to have you as a member of East Sector."

Ash took a deep breath it was almost time. He turned his thoughts at last to Blaze as he closed his eyes. "I know I can't say it, I don't have any right to say it to you Blaze but..." He could see the glow of the emerald as he jumped into the air heading straight for it.

"I love you." Blazes voice was the last thing Ash heard before he entered into the violent shockwaves coming off the stone. He was on his knees atop the massive jewel. Sadly all could hear his raging screams of agony and pain as the spell ate away at his body.

Silver has made his way to Tikal's side. The peach echidna was staring up at the dying mongoose, her eyes wide and unblinking as tears streaked down her cheeks. She would of stayed like that if Silver hadn't pulled her face to his chest. "You shouldn't look." He said resting his head a top hers. "You didn't choose this for him."

All those that were outside looked away from the great light and the great sacrifice, all accept Blaze. She just stared, her eyes wet. She watched until the very end, when the light died away and Ash was gone.

There was a moment of silence before Shadow's voice crackled across the com system. "Everybody back to work, don't waste the time Ash has given us." Shadow was looking over at Tails and Marine. "Tikal get the emerald working."

"I'm on it." Tikal moved to the stone and put both hands on it. The glow of the gem grew, and Tikal's dreadlocks danced in the waves of wind that emitted from the sheer energy the jewel was now putting off. In the next minute each sector member could feel the power of the master emerald surging through their bodies once more.

Amy couldn't take her eyes off Shadow as she watched him approach the raccoon and fox. "Well?" Shadow said with a stern expression.

Tails looked up. "We're in." He said looking back at the computer screen. "We're uploading the virus now."

Marine was packing up the rest of the gear. "Once it uploads it will take at least ten minutes for the virus to actively affect every robot."

"Done." Tails closed his laptop. "His encryptions were good, but mine were better." He stood up.

"The two of you get to the outside and help the others." Shadow ordered. "Strom you go with them." He said turning to the large bird. "Amy and I will stay here and guard the CCM until the ten minutes is up." He received no argument as the three made their way to the door. Amy moved to stand on the other side of the CCM her back to Shadow and his back to her as they waited for the countdown to be over.

Marine and Tails were the first to exit with Storm right behind them. The fight was just as bad as before. Many bots had escaped the valley, but for the most part the sector fighters were managing to contain a rather large chunk of the bots. "We have to help them, come on." Tails said dropping his tech gear off his back and running into the fray.

"I'm coming with you Tails!" Marin followed him quickly. She couldn't bear to part with him now. "Tails wait!" She was so focused on trying to follow him that she was attacked by a shredder bot and caught off guard. She fell to the ground, the bot had slicked up her arm pretty good. She was bleeding from three giant gashes.

"Marine!" Tails jumped into the path of the attacking bot. He took it out with a hard tailspin to its head.

"Tails on your left!" Marine yelled. Tails heeded her warning and jump kicked the arms of the second bot. In the next moment he and Marine were surrounded by seven bots at once. "Tails..." Marine's voice quivered a bit.

"Just stay behind me." Tails said backing up close to her.

Tikal was a few yards off, she was applying pressure to a wound on Jet's head. He lay there unconscious as Wave stood guard around the two. The pink echidna had seen the trouble from the distance. "Honey!" The winged cat, who was flying just above, turned quickly to her teammate's voice. "Honey help them!" Honey was now staring at Tails and Marine, her rage that had began with the first strike of the battle had turned to a warm bitterness. She didn't move as she stared at them with a blank expression the entire scene reflected in her eyes. Tikal cried out. "Honey! Help them! Honey! Please!"

Even with all of Tikals begging and screaming, the cat did not move. In the next moment the bots attacked Tails and Marine. Tails smashed into two at once, a foot in each face. He whirled around this time pulling two hockey-puck shaped explosive disks from his side. He tossed them on two more robots causing them to explode. Marine ducked down covering her face. When she lifted she saw a bot staring down over her. She began to shake a bit as its shadow overtook her, but before it could lay a claw on her Tails had rammed head on into the bot knocking it to the ground. He tossed his last bomb onto it before covering Marine from the blast.

When the smoke cleared Tails and Marine were covered in robot parts. He gently pushed them away as he set up. Marine came up as well her eyes met with his and in the next moment her arms were around him. "Tails, Tails." She cried. "I thought I was going to lose you." She whimpered.

Tails placed his arms around her. "It's alright, you'll never lose me Marine." He said resting his forehead on her. "I'll never leave you."

"Tails!" The fox looked up as he heard Tikal yelling his name. "Look out!" She was pointing behind him. He turned, but it was too late a drill bot was upon him. In the next second the sound of ripping flesh was heard and blood splattered across his body and Marine's.

Tails eyes were closed, but when he didn't feel any pain they began to crack open. He looked down and the drill tip was just barely touching his stomach, but the bot had not stopped, instead Tails had been shielded. He looked up. Standing in front of him, her wings opened wide and her eyes quivering, was Honey. The drill had gone straight through her body. "Honey..." She coughed up blood as the bot retracted it's drill. "No! Honey!" Tail's took her into his arms quickly as she fell.

She lay there in his arms looking up at him. "Y-You missed one." She said as blood poured from her body staining the white feathers of her wings. It was as if all her anger and bitterness had evaporated, leaving behind only sorrowed love. "To be taken out so easily..." she smiled. "Guess I'm not much of a guardian angel huh?"

"Honey," His body was shaking a bit. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." He looked at the gaping hole in her body. Then looked backed at her with a weak smile. "It's not that bad, we can heal it." He lied.

"Stick to the truth Tails." She said softly as she put her hand over the wound. "You couldn't lie to save your life...or mine." She said gently.

"You didn't have to do it, why, why did you! W-Why did you do that Honey!" He said in a fit of despair.

Honey placed her free hand on his cheek. "Because I love you." She said with gentle eyes. "And even if you don't love me, I...I couldn't let you die...Tails, I love you so much." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Please just one time...let me hear it...this one time..."

"I love you." He said holding her closer. "Honey..." His face was stained with tear trails as he kissed her gently. As he kissed her the blood stained wings on her back evaporated and the feathers dispersed into the air around them.

When they parted Honey turned to the raccoon who was kneeling a yard or two away. "Marine," She watched as the raccoon moved to be by her side. "Promise me something okay."

"Hum?" she looked down, her face stained with tears as well.

"Get strong." she was growing weaker now, her last bit of strength leaving her. "I won't be around to save him next time." She placed one weak hand on top of hers. "I'm counting on you to take care of him for me..."

The raccoon nodded. "I promise." Though she had been competition for Tails affections, Marine would never had wished this fate on Honey.

"Honey..." Tails nuzzled her temple. "I'm sorry, for all the pain." His tears ran down his face and on to hers. "For everything, I'm sorry. Please forgive me..."

Her eyes were barely open now. "There's nothing to forgive." Her voice was at its weakest. "I hope that this battle won't be the last time I resemble an angel..."

Tails rested his head to hers. "You'll always be an angel to me Honey."

x-x-x

Amy had taken her communicator off; she couldn't bear to listen any longer. Her eyes were sad, but not wet. Shadow looked in her direction as he removed his own com. "Have I sacrificed to much...?" Amy said not looking at him. "It was my idea to fight the bots...It was my fault...I killed them all..." She said putting her hands over her eyes.

"Stop it." Shadow was holding her by her wrists as he uncovered her eyes. "Don't ever say that again." He said in a commanding voice. Her eyes shook as she stared up into his crimson ones. "Those sector members died, because they believed in this plan, in you, and in us." He said pulling her closer. "This is war, did you not think there'd be repercussions?" He rested his head on top of hers. "We all knew the risks, and we all new blood would be spilled."

Her eyes were moist as she nestled her face into the white patch of fur on his chest. "Yes...but..I never knew it would be so much..." She gently lifted herself from his grip as her professionalism returned little by little.

"Amy." He said her name gently as she turned away heading slowly for the door. She stopped when he said her name, but she didn't turn to face him, only stood in the empty doorway. "I'm sorry about what happened between us that caused you pain," Her eyes closed tightly. "But, I'm not sorry for everything." He said not moving from his position. "I'm not sorry that I love you." She suddenly took off running and disappeared down the corridor.

"Amy!" He ran after her.

When Shadow reached the outside he stopped in awe. The valley, it was...still, and the valley floor was covered with the scattered bodies of the bots that had been fighting so viciously before. Some were still convolving with shockwaves as the virus pulsed through their systems. Then something else caught his attention. He saw Amy. She was in the arms of the blue hedgehog. He was holding her so tightly.

"Amy, I was so worried about you." He said holding her. He released her and put his hands on her face. "You did it. Your plan worked." He kissed her forehead. "You saved the world."

"Sonic..." She said softly as she put one hand on top of his as she felt his warm palm on her cheek.

"And now it's all over." He said resting his forehead against hers. "We can be together." Sonic looked over her shoulder and could see Shadow standing at the mouth of the fortress. "Hold that thought Amy." He said releasing her. He made his way over to the dark hedgehog. "Shadow." He said standing with the crimson eyed hedgehog. "I appreciate all that you've done. Without you we couldn't have accomplished any of this."

"What's your point faker." Shadow said with mellow aggression.

"My point is, it's done now." His brow furrowed with anger. "So the sectors will be splitting up again and we will all be returning home. You and the rest of East Sector will go back to the East."

"You trying to start something little boy blue?" He said with a growl.

"I think it would be better for you and your team to just leave now, the lot of you have been nothing but trouble for the rest of us." He sneered pushing Shadow.

"If it wasn't for me and my team you'd all be dead." He said not moving as he glared at Sonic.

"Stop it!" The two could hear Amy's voice as she was approaching from a distance.

"She's mine, and you don't deserve her." Sonic said quickly. "You leave her to me and get the hell out."

"Hell will freeze over first." Shadow snapped.

Amy had suddenly started running towards them, an obvious fight was brewing between them. They were blind with anger, Amy was the only one that saw the shredder bot that was spinning its two large machete blade arms in preparation for a throw. Amy wanted to yell out but no words, not even a scream, came to her. It wasn't until Silver noticed Amy running that he too saw the danger. "Sonic, Shadow!" But it was too late the bot released the blades and then fell over dead. Shadow looked up from his cobalt adversary, but it was only in time to see Amy shove Sonic aside before two blades pierced into her back. She choked with the impact as she fell forward into the dirt.

"AMY!" Sonic said as he got to his feet quickly. "Amy!"

"Stop!" Shadow stepped in his path.

"Let go of me!" Sonic yelled as he fought the black hedgehogs grip.

"I said stop!" Shadow punch Sonic right in the mouth. "You fool, you could kill her if you move her body." He turned his face upward. "Ebony!" Shadow yelled loudly.

The cat appeared in moments. "It's alright Shadow, I'm here." She said quickly. She didn't say anything, but she could see the fear and the panic in her leaders eyes. Only a few moments passed before Tails and Tikal arrived on the scene to assist Ebony. "Don't worry Amy honey, you're going to be fine."

"Ebony, we have to get those blades out." Tikal said examining the stabs.

"If we don't close those wounds soon she'll bleed to death if nothing else." Tails agreed.

"We can't do this here, we don't know the extent of the internal damage." She looked at the other two medics. "We have to get her back to North base now."

"We'll get help." Tikal said as she pulled Tails up and the two ran to get some of the others to help.

Ebony turned to her leader. "Shadow come here."

Silver had come over to stand with Sonic, just in case he wasn't stable and tried to approach Amy again. Shadow trusted Silver to guard the blue hedgehog so he came to the medic. "Ebony...is she..." He seemed unable to say the words as he looked into the cats eyes.

"No, she's alive, we're going to try and save her. I've got to see if I can find something to hold the bleeding to a minimum when we transport her." She lead Shadow to be sitting right in front of Amy's face as she lay in the dirt her cheek resting on the ground. Ebony knelt him down so he was very close to Amy. "Watch her breathing, if she starts to chook lift her head just enough so she can breathe. But don't move her anymore than necessary." She turned and began searching amongst the wreckage.

Shadow looked at Amy's face as he recalled what had happened. He sighed looking away. "I guess this is your answer to my feelings...you were willing to give up your life for that faker..." He had noticed the Amy had pushed his rival out of the way. She'd saved Sonic, not him. "Even so...I'd still give anything to trade places with you right now..."

_**Oh Please Oh Please Oh Please Review!**_


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N:** Well guys here's the final chapter. I hope this wraps it up well. I'm actually on vacation in TN, but I managed to find time to write and post the last chapter. I really hope you've enjoyed the story and will tune in to my next fic. Enjoy!

**Chapter 35**

There was a gentle silence in the air surrounding the northern base. Rouge was standing outside, her arms gently folded as she stared upward towards the brightly shining sun, which had only just risen. She had a worried and sad expression. Knuckles was just coming out of the base. "Rouge."

"The air is helping..." She said not facing him. "They wouldn't let me go in to see Amy yet..." She said griping her arms tightly.

"Rouge." Knuckles turned her around so she had to look at him. He knew she was taking so much because she was trying to keep from crying. "It's okay. You don't have to be strong in front of me." He kissed her forehead as two hot tears ran down Rouge's checks.

She berried her face into his chest. "Knuckles," She said with relief in her voice. "What if she hadn't made it...what if they couldn't have saved her?" She cried. It had only been an hour or two since Ebony and the other two medics had announced that Amy would live.

"Don't think like that." Knuckles held her tightly. "Amy's tough, she wouldn't have given up without a fight, and she's had three of the best medical minds in the world working on her. She always had more than just a chance." He nuzzled the top of her head. "Besides this is no way to be thinking right now. You should just be thankful that our entire squad remains alive."

Rouge nodded, her tears stopping, as she ceased to think about the 'what ifs' of her own team and thought about the certainty of sorrow that was evident for many other sectors. "Many lived...but with even one death it made things unbearable...but eight..."

Knuckles nodded. "West sector was nearly completely whipped out. Mina and Tikal are the only survivors."

"And so many others..." She said softly as she found comfort in his warm embrace.

"We must of been the chosen sector in all this...we were the only sector that remained whole."

x-x-x

Silver was in the lobby of the base, he had volunteered to take care of the information on the dead. After the battle, the dead had been collected and gently placed in the downstairs basement where it was cool and there was room for those who wished to visit them before their burial. He was making sure all the notes were made as to each ones death. He took down their sector, rank, and cause of death. He sighed as he looked at the names on the list.

_Espio_

_Vector_

_Charmey_

_Honey_

_Nack_

_Ray_

_Cosmic_

_Ash_

x-x-x-x

Finally that evening Amy had come out of her induced sleep. Ebony was very cautious. "Amy is awake, but weak, very weak." She said as she, Tikal, and Tails stood before the others. "We're willing to let just one of you in today and see how it goes. If she handles it alright then we will see what we can do about tomorrow." Next there was a moment of silence before Ebony announced who was to go in. "Rouge, come with me."

"What!" Sonic stood up. "I'm her lover I should be going in first."

"Sonic," Tikal shook her head. "The way you're acting, that's why you can't go in. Amy's weak she can't take any kind of stress, not physical, mental, or emotional." She looked downward. "We were even weary about letting anyone in at all."

"Is that what that East Sector cat told you to say." Sonic growled slightly as he looked Ebony. "She's just trying to help her leader."

"Shut your mouth." Ebony said with a glare, everyone was exhausted and angry with a lack of sleep. "If I wanted to help my leader, I would of chosen him to go in, you dumbass." She said approaching Sonic and loomed over him with anger. "But as a matter of fact, I'm actually trying to help Amy, not Shadow and not you. You know, the one who almost died, or have you forgotten that you selfish bastard?"

Sonic backed down. He turned to the side slightly. "Fine." He sighed. "I'm sorry Ebony..." He said not looking back to her.

"Rouge come with me." Tails said as he lead his friend back to the surgery. "I have to warn you it might be a little bit of a shocking sight."

"What do you mean?" Rouge asked.

"Well she hasn't had time to fully heal of course so the wounds are still blatant and she has some rather large stitches." He looked at Rouge with half closed sleepy eyes. "She will live unhindered by the attack, the bot missed her spin by a few inches, and no vital oranges were critically damaged...but, it's not pretty Rouge."

The white bat entered the room and immediately understood what Tails meant. Amy was laying on her stomach in a rickety looking hospital stretcher, that had been turned into a bed. Tails had been right, her back did not look pretty. She felt tears welling up in her eyes but she quickly whipped them away and went to Amy's side. She bent down on her knees so her face was level with Amy's. "You really gave me a scare you know."

Amy's eyes were open only slightly as she made a weak smile to the bat. "Sorry about that...sometimes my body just does what it wants too..." She said softly. "Guess this'll teach it right?" She said in a spirited manner. Her soft voice was an attempt to keep Rouge's spirits up along with her own. "Rouge." Her eyes turned serious as she looked at her friend again. "How many?"

Rouge's eyes turned softer. She knew this wasn't really something the two of them should talk about now, but she also knew that if she didn't speak, Amy would worry herself to death. "Eight..."

"Who?" She said her eyes glossy.

"Amy please..." Rouge put her hand on Amy's. "You need to get well...we were so afraid we'd lost you...so please, just get well...they'll be plenty of time for that kind of talk after you heal."

"Rouge." Ebony opened the door. "It's time." Amy watched her friend leave. A tear rolling down from the corner of her eye.

Rouge looked back to the pink hedgehog. "It's okay Amy, don't cry. Everything's going to be alright now."

Amy nodded. "I know..." She closed her eyes. "I've never cried tears that were both happy and sad..."

x-x-x-x-x

Two weeks had past Amy had only been allowed a few more visitor. Ebony had been feeding her a special medicine to help her regain her strength. She could now sit up in her bed and eat and drink on her own. She constantly asked to be allowed to get up, but of course Ebony never agreed.

Today she would be accepting two visitors. One was already in with her, the second was standing in the waiting room. Ebony stepped out into the waiting area. "Shadow." She stood by him. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah..." His eyes didn't meet hers. "Honestly I wasn't expecting her to ask for me."

In the next moment Sonic came out of Amy's room. He gently passed the two and exited. Shadow sighed. The cobalt hedgehog hadn't seemed phased at all by his presence. He seemed completely confident in himself. "Alright, come on Shadow, you're next."

Shadow followed Ebony. The cat opened the door for him. As Shadow entered the room he heard the door close behind him. Amy was sitting up in her bed as she looked up at her new visitor. Though she may of been a bit weak and her face a tiny bit pale from lack of sun, Shadow felt as though he had never seen a more beautiful sight...the woman he loved was alive. He sat down in chair that was close to the side of her bed. Her expression was blank as she looked at him. He would of been continent to spend the entire time just watching her, but of course that was not why he was asked there. "How have you been?" Amy asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Fine." He said lowering his gaze a bit, unable to totally look her in the eye. "Everyone has been working hard out in the valley."

"The valley?" She questioned.

"Yes, the Core has been totally demolished and removed. All the bots have been moved as well."

"That must of been very hard with all the snow and slush."

"Something else has been happening." He said thinking that it would be a nice piece of news for her. "The weather, ever since we shut down all the bots, it has been changing."

"Changing?"

"The snow is going away." He said with his tone still gentle.

"Yes, the snow has been melting?" She said with her head tilted to the side.

"That's right." He nodded. "I hope you'll be able to see it soon. There's grass growing and plenty of sunshine."

"Is everyone enjoying it?" She asked.

"Yes, but we'll enjoy it more when you can see it for yourself."

"Why is that?" She asked.

"We all want you to see the fruits of your labor." He said gently. "If it wasn't for you, every sector would of only protected its own territory, and we'd all be dead right now, along with the rest of the world."

"Shadow..."

He shook his head. "It's the truth." He looked at her with serious eyes. "Before you...I would have turned this entire mission down in a heartbeat. I would have forsaken everything, simply because that was the person I was." He said looking to the side. "If you hadn't stayed with me, if you had given up on me, treated me like the dog I was then...I'd still be that same selfish bastard." He looked up at her. "You changed that about me, you changed the lives of all the sectors...and most importantly you changed the world, you not only saved it, you brought it back to life." He saw how gentle her eyes were. He hadn't seen those eyes since before they arrived to North base for the first time. He took it as his moment to speak his heart. "Amy, I want you to know that no matter what, I'll always be there if you need me."

"Shadow,"

"Let me finish." He said looking directly into her eyes. "I don't want you to think that I hold anything against you, I'm nothing but grateful...it's not easy to tell you this. It's really stinging my pride, it makes me angry and pissed even. But I can't help myself. You just do something to me that no one else does, it's hard and I don't always understand it, but you're worth it. You've always been worth it." He said moving closer to her. "Because every time I see you smile, whenever your eyes light up when you laugh, it gives me a feeling...the feeling that made me choose to help you, when you came to East Sector, and I want to continue having this feeling." He looked at her with longing. "I also want you to know that I didn't mean what I said to Storm that night we found the emerald." He made full eye contact with her now. "I was mad, I'd never needed anyone before, and there I was, needing you, wanting you, and not wanting anyone to know just how badly." He ran one hand through his quills. "I was angry, I was trying to make people think I was still the same cold guy, but the truth is I'm not. I'm may still be an arrogant son of bitch, but I care more than I ever did before, and that is because of you." He sighed. . "I'd be a liar if I said I was ok with you returning to Central with Sonic."

She looked at him, her eyes were still glazed over with that half hearted look. "Do you remember what happened when I got these scars?" She motioned to her back.

"Of course." He said feeling a bit of pain as he remembered her actions to save Sonic.

"Why do you think I did that?" She said meeting his gaze.

"You're gonna make me say it huh," He sighed with irritation. "You love Sonic."

"You're smarter than you look. You've proved that a couple of times now." She looked at him still with a gentleness he couldn't understand. "Can you do something for me?"

"What?" He asked as he sat up straight.

"Take this to Tails and stay with him till he's done." She said holding out a folded piece of paper.

x-x-x-x

Shadow had found Tails and told him what Amy had said. Tails didn't get to read the note until that evening, he'd been so busy trying to get communications back up throughout all the sectors, before anyone went home.

"So what's the message say?" Shadow asked as he leaned back in a chair with in the lab.

Tails was staring at the note with a bewildered look on his face. He turned to the computer. "She wants me to do a reenactment coordination. He was typing in some numbers on the computer. The screen that covered one wall suddenly blipped up an image from the battle.

Shadow recognized it instantly. "This is the where she saves the faker." He sighed annoyed that she would ask him to sit through this again.

Tails finished typing in the location and distant information. Then checked back over Amy's note to make sure he hadn't missed anything. He played the video. Shadow watched it as Tails played it three times. The image of Amy's pain reflected in his eyes. "How many times are we going to watch this?" He said suddenly standing up with a bit of anger.

"Shadow," Tails turned to the hedgehog with a look of pure surprise on his face.

"What?" He snapped, still angry.

"Can you not see it?" Tails rewound the video. "Look at this very closely." He pulled up some math on the screen to pinpoint his explanation. "Alright, if you do the math on that bot's throwing trajectory," He show the mathematical throwing distance of the bot, "and check it's targeting program," He motioned for Shadow to look at the screen carefully. "Shredder bots are designed with a better targeting system than the other bots, therefore they are program to always seek out the target furthest away, leaving the closer targets for the target-weak bots." Tails turned to his companion. "Shadow, Sonic was closest to that bot...you were the furthest away." He looked back at the screen. "Not to mention this." He turned the 3D image on the computer around so that Shadow and Sonic could be seen from Amy's point of view. When Tails pressed play and the video was watched through her eyes, one could see that from her line of sight Shadow was the only person in the strike zone, Sonic was completely out of the picture in her view.

Shadow watched as the video played in slow motion from Amy's point of view. She had been running to jump in front of those blades to save Shadow. He watched as Sonic only happen to move into her path when he was turning around to see what was happening. "He just...got in her way, she never had any intentions of saving Sonic...she was trying to save me..."

"Shadow, does this mean," Tails turned, but Shadow was gone.

Shadow was running to the infirmary, his mind was overwhelm he couldn't concentrate enough to go super speed. He flew through the entrance and was now approaching the door that lead to Amy's room. Ebony looked up as she heard Shadow coming. She held up her hands in a stopping motion. "Shadow wait, stop-"

Shadow pushed her a side and flew down the hall and threw open Amy's door. He stood huffing in the doorway. Amy was standing on the other side of the bed with a green towel gently clasped in front of her body. She had just finished taking a shower and was drying off. His eyes were locked with hers. "Why?" He said as he tried to catch his breath.

"It's a good question." She said standing there, with her eyes half open, that same gentle look as before. "After everything that's happen between us I don't know...during the end of the battle...when I ran outside, Sonic held me...I felt safe, warm, secure." She looked at Shadow as he stood at his full height now. "All the things you're supposed to feel when you love someone...or at least I thought..."

"What?" Shadow jumped over the bed and stood right in front of her.

"When the bot was targeting you, in that moment, I knew I couldn't live without you Shadow." She looked up at him with glossy wet eyes. "Every thought of life without you ran through my mind and I knew...I'd rather die than face that. I'd never see your crimsion eyes again or hear your voice call my name..." She blushed when she said the next few words "Not feeling your touch, your kiss, it's like no one else's." She looked up at him her eyes full of tears. "I care about Sonic, but I can't return his feelings...because I'm in love with you Shadow."

Suddenly she felt those strong arms wrapped around her body. He lifted her up into his grip. He was holding her against the wall as he kissed her deeply. She'd never felt such passion, even during the first time they'd made love, it'd been nothing like this. "Um..." She felt breathless as he finally released her.

"You know I'll never stop being selfish when it come to you." He said as he licked her neck. "I'll be jealous and rude, I'll be obscene in public just to show you're mine." He bit below her neckline. "I won't easily share you." He pulled the towel from her body, letting it fall to the side. "I'll ravish you constantly, make you yell out my name every time I embrace you." He kissed down her breasts and stomach then gently lifted back up to look into her eyes. "Will you still love me."

"Yes," She blushed as she felt hers hands interlock with hers. "I love you."

He pressed his lips to hers as he lifted her once more and placed her naked body on the bed. She was wet from her shower and her body was glistening and Shadow couldn't resist. "It's a shame you showered, seeing as how when I'm done you'll only need another one."

"S-Shadow." She said in a gentle embarrassed coo, and then blushed covering herself slightly.

"Did you not think I meant it when I said I'd ravish you?" He leaned over her as he kissed up her neck. "That was the part I meant the most." He placed one hand on her breast and the other between her legs as his chin rested over her shoulder. "Say it." He demanded as he kissed her jaw.

"I-I love you Shadow!" She said in a passionate gasp.

x-x-x-x-x

A few days had past and Shadow had spent every single one of them with Amy. The two had been totally inseparable. Finally Ebony, Tails, and Tikal had all agreed that Amy was well enough to leave the infirmary.

Amy and Shadow were walking out of the entrance of the hospital wing when Tikal approached them, standing a few yards back were all the others. Amy blinked as the peach echidna smiled at her. "We've been waiting for you to get better, and now that you are there's something I'd like to show you." She turned to the others. "Blaze, Mina you too." Amy noticed that Tikal had chosen three in particular along with all the others.

Amy couldn't believe the world outside the base. She didn't even know where she was at first. "W-Wow..." The snow had melted away, there was grass everywhere and even some tree sprigs had popped up.

"I told you the world was changing." Shadow said from behind her.

"Tikal, where are we going?" Amy asked. "And why are the three of us singled out?" She meant herself, Blaze, and Mina.

"I have a gift for everyone, but you three will call the loudest." She said before turning around. Amy had more questions, but before she asked them she noticed Tikal was humming in the next moment the hum became words.

_It started out as a feeling, which then grew into a hope, which then turned into a quiet thought, which then turned into a quiet word._

Amy realized that they were headed towards the core.

_and then that word grew louder and louder until it was battle cry. I'll come back. When you call me. No need to say goodbye._

Tikal led Amy and the others over the ridge of the valley wall and down below was more beautiful than anything Amy had ever seen. It was filled with lush green grass and flowers were everywhere. In the center was the master emerald, as large as ever, shining brightly in the mid morning sun.

Tikal smiled at Amy as she continued her song.

_Just because everything's changing doesn't mean its never been this way before. All you can do is try to know who your friends are as you head off to the war._

Once they were in the valley, Tikal pulled Mina, Amy, and Blaze forward. She made each of them hold out there hands, and then she nodded to Silver who came to stand by her side. He was holding a bag and as they went down the line Tikal pulled something from it and placed it in each of the girls hands.

_Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light. you'll come back, when it's over. No need to say goodbye._

Mina received Espios wrist guards, Blaze was holding Ash's goggles, and Tikal placed Cream's blue ribbon in Amy's hands.

_Now we're back to the beginning. It's just a feeling and no one knows yet. But just because they can't feel it too doesn't mean that you have to forget._

Silver and Tikal moved to stand beside the master emerald. Tikal motioned for the three to close their eyes. Each girl was thinking very hard about the person they missed most. Tikal smiled as the emerald began to glow brightly.

_"Let your memories grow stronger and stronger till they're before your eyes. You'll come back when they call you. No need to say goodbye. you'll come back when they call you, no need to say goodbye."_

When they opened their eyes they had to hold their arm up against the light, but when they looked again no one could believe what they saw.

Mina ran to Espio, even though he was transparent and glowing with a golden hew, he embraced her as if he were still alive. "Espio!" Her eyes were wet as she felt the familiar arms around her body.

Espio rested his head on top of Mina's as she nestled into him. "Come on Mina," He smiled. "Is that anyway for a leader to act." He held her chin up so that her eyes would meet his. "My beautiful second, now she's a beautiful leader."

"Leader..." Her eyes were still wet. "But only Tikal and I are left." She said gripping his arms tightly as if he would vanish any moment.

"You'll do more, and be more in this new world than simply the leader of five people." He said with a gentle smile as she embraced him once more.

Blaze was staring as Ash stepped out of the light. He was the same as Espio, glowing and colored with a golden shine. He approached her, a smooth grin on his lips, he touched his forehead against hers making her blush. "And here I was thinking I wouldn't get to say it to you too."

"What?" She blushed her eyes looking to the side as she nuzzled his cheek.

"I love you too." He kissed her temple. Their love was short and on a whim, but the tender moment bloomed all the same.

As the light grew brighter every person that had fallen in the robot war emerged from the shining stone. Tikal had managed to bring them all together one last time. The two groups of living and fallen warriors was mixing now. Friends reunited, broken families put back together, and lovers back in each other's arms, for however brief a moment.

"Tails." Honey was standing behind the fox. He turned quickly and saw her. His eyes grew large, she was so beautiful. She had the bright golden glow and unlike the others Honey had a pair of beautiful white angle wings.

He rubbed his eyes before looking at her again. "Wow...I knew you would make the most beautiful angel of all." He smiled as Honey ran up and hugged him.

Honey's arms were gently around his neck as she was on her toes to reach him. She opened her eyes and saw Marine. She flattened her feet once more and released Tails. "Don't worry Marine." She motioned for the raccoon to come over. She smiled and hugged her as well. "I just want to say thank you. I'm happy for you both. I still want you to keep your promise and take care of Tails alright." She smiled softly.

"Take care of me?" Tails blinked.

Honey had her arm around Marine as the two smiled. "Yeah, you will always need someone to watch your back." The two giggled making Tails blush.

Silver and Nack met with a fist five. "I can't believe it." Nack grinned. "Silver, leader of the North, has a warm spot for that sweet little West Sector medic?"

Silver blushed a bit. "Yeah, she's agreed to stay here with us, along with Mina of course."

"Sounds like a good idea." Nack smiled. "She and Mina would be lonely in the West."

"Yes with one condition on Mina's part." Silver said crossing his arms smiling.

"What's that?" Nack asked as he saw Tikal come to stand by Silver's side.

"We'll spend the summers here in the North and the winters in the West. She won't give up her and Espios home. During the time we're there we will be rebuilding the West base."

"Tikal," The purple weasel bowed to her. "Will your wonders ever cease?"

She smiled hugging and nuzzling Silvers arm. "This moment in time, the few fleeting minutes that we're all together again for the last time," She looked up at Nack. "Until we meet again as one single sector." She looked back to her dear Silver. "Until that time we will have to hold these moments dear to us as closely as possible." She looked across the way as Amy was coming up from the middle of the crowd toward the emerald.

Everyone smiled as Amy saw who was standing there with a golden glow and a shine bright with age. "Hello Amy." Cream held out her arms as her best friend ran to her.

"Cream!" Amy held the rabbit tightly. "I can't believe it." She said looking at her. "Y-You haven't aged a day." She said covering her eyes just a bit from the rabbits glow.

"Sorry about that." She smiled. "My glow is brightest because I've been like this a lot longer than the others."

"Oh I've missed you so much." Amy said as she cried a little. "I'm sorry about that day." She held Creams hands.

"Amy," She tilted her head to the side. "I never blamed you, it was never your fault." She hugged her friend. "I've kept an ear out for news about you. I heard lots of stories from other angles about your life." She released Amy and motioned upward. "I'm glad I could be hear when you finally get to see it."

Amy looked up into the beautiful clear blue. "Seventh Sky."

END

_**x-x-x-x Check out the Epilogue to see glimpse of the future x-x-x-x **_


	37. Epilogue

In the time that followed the great robot war, the sectors did part ways, but promised to reunite as often as possible. Many sectors didn't keep the same company as before. Central sector went home short one pink hedgehog. Amy stayed with Shadow and his sector she couldn't bear to leave him, and even if she could, Shadow would of never let her go. Central may of lost a second, but they gained another tech. Marine went with them so she could be with Tails. Many had learned that love was a precious thing, those who had lost their loved ones in the war, became a living testament to the idea of spending every moment with those you love because you never know what moment could be your last.

Just as Silver had promised, he and the rest of North Sector returned with Mina and Tikal to the West during the winter and began rebuilding the Western base. South sector, who also had a new member, Fiona's lover, Scourge, often traveled to the West during the winter to assist with the rebuilding. Scourge's joining of the South had been a surprise, but he knew Amy would make a great second for his East Sector and he would be able to stay with his sweet Fiona.

When the first Spring bloomed, and the sectors reunited for the first time, there was amazing news. A love had blossomed between Sonic and Mina and they held a long distant relationship. They loved each other, but Mina couldn't ask Sonic to give up his position as leader of Central, and he wanted Mina to fulfill her dream of seeing the West Sector restored to its former glory. The two may of often been far apart, but their love never weakened. Another more predictable love that formed was between Void and Julie. The two became true lovers and spent weeks with each other switching back and forth between their two sectors. It was a hectic lifestyle, but they loved it and each other. Other romances that had been seasoned were now bearing fruit. Rouge and Knuckles were pregnant with a baby boy, and Fiona and Scourge were expecting a little girl. The years past and many others had children as well. Shadow and Amy had a son and daughter. Silver and Tikal had twin girls. Marine and Tails a little boy, and Jet and Wave had triplets, two boys and girl.

In the years to come the sectors formed a tradition. As their sectors and families grew they needed a larger place to meet other than a base. They chose the valley. The valley that had once been known as the valley of the Core and was full of only death and despair was now a beautiful memorial ground where the master emerald still remains shining brightly as a beacon of hope and love. As sector members would come to their end of their life they would be buried there with the first fallen eight. The valley became affectionately known as the valley of the seven skies.

_**x-x-x-x Fics to Come x-x-x-x**_

I've had requests for sequels for some stories that I've written, but I've found that I'm not too good with sequels, so I'm doing the next best thing. I had lots of request for more on my story Vampire Kisses, so my newest story, Wolfsbane, is something similar. I think I'm going to have a really fun time writing that one! Second I had a lot of awesome reviews on My Song, so I'm writing a new story called My Melody which features a similar concept, but appears in a more sophisticated and exciting story. Hope you'll let me know what you think about these up and coming fics!

**Wolfsbane**

Amy's provincial life begins to fall apart, after a chance encounter with a mysterious crimson eyed hedgehog. Strange and extraordinary transformations, a secret war, and so much more. In the midst of everything she begins to find herself in the middle of a most unbelievable love affair.

**My Melody**

Four music schools throw down their skills in the ultimate musical battle for the title of future stars and the grand prize of contract with the greatest music producers in the biz and a whopping donation to their music school. A competition like this brings music, love, and drama to the big stage. Tune in and get pump'n with the beat!


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